Puddle of Grace
by JasonMorganLvr
Summary: What if Liz never met Lucky? What if Liz was never raped? What if Liz didn't come to PC until now? Mainly a Liason fic, with Sonny, Alexis, Carly, and others thrown in.
1.

Pro and ch 1

_Prologue_

Alexis slammed the phone down in it's cradle, furious with herself for letting Ned get her all riled up again. She placed her hands on the desk and took a few deep breaths. After giving herself a few minutes to calm down, she turned to the closet behind her. She locked the front door first, then carefully opened the closet door. Reaching up, she placed her hands on either side of the sleek wooden box. It took an extra ounce of strength on Alexis' part to bring it down from the shelf. Kicking the door closed with her foot, she headed over to the couch, and set the box in front of her on the coffee table. She pushed the sleeve of her sweatshirt up before opening the box and reaching inside for the papers it contained. Clasping her hands around the aged papers, she leaned back into the couch, and crossed her legs, indian-style. Her eyes re-read the words for the thousandth time, her mind dragging her back to the past. Looking intently at each paper, she finally reached the last one. Her fingers lingered over the photo that was paperclipped to the document. 

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. 

***** 

Elizabeth looked around her new apartment. It wasn't much, but it reasonably priced. And the landlord had even offered her a job at his coffee warehouse. Things were beginning to look up for Elizabeth Webber. 

***** 

Jason stood next to Sonny's desk, hoping Carly wouldn't come home before he could make a quick escape. 

"Are you going to stick around for awhile?" 

Jason shrugged, averting his eyes from Sonny's, "Yeah, I don't know. There's not a whole lot to really keep me here." His mind drifted over the few people for whom he truely cared about, Monica, Lila, Emily, and yes, even Carly. 

"I'm sure Carly would like for you to stick around," the older man suggested. 

Jason chuckled, "Yeah, I'm sure. You just want to make sure she stays out of trouble." 

Sonny flashed his dimples, holding his arms out in the air. 

_Chapter 1_

"Hi Johnny." 

The bodyguard did a double take when Alexis approached Sonny's penthouse in a pair of sweat pants and a tee shirt, her auburn hair pulled back into a sloppy ponytail. 

"Miss Davis," he greeted with a nod. 

She pointed toward the door, "Is he in?" 

Johnny jerked towards the door, "Sorry." He knocked on the door and opened it, glancing back at the withdrawn lawyer. "Mr. Corinthos, Miss Davis," he announced, moving aside to let her by. 

She slipped past him and murmured a thank you, waiting until he closed the door before she spoke to her client. Clasping her hands behind her back, Alexis' eyes flicked towards the stairs. "Is Carly around?" 

Sonny shook his head, swallowing the last of his scotch. "Deception business." He let out a loud sigh before speaking again. "What do you need Alexis?" His hands were shoved into his pockets, a slightly annoyed expression on his face. 

Alexis' attention was drawn from the stairs to the man standing before her. It was as if she was seeing him for the very first time. He'd never seemed annoyed with her before, but she'd be damned if she would annoy him again. 

"You know what," she turned back to the door. "Forget it, I'm obviously interrupting something." She flung the door open, catching Johnny off guard. 

"Alexis-" 

She slammed the door before he could finish his sentence. 

Sonny smiled to himself, admiring Alexis for her stubbornness, even if it was a bit trying at times. He sauntered over to his door, and across the hall to her penthouse. "Alexis?" Sonny's knuckles rapped softly on her door. He waited a full minute before trying the knob, grinning when it opened up to him. "Alexis?" he asked again, spotting the top of her head peeking out over the back of the sofa. He entered fully, closing the door behind him, his hands seeking the protection of his pockets. before he approached the couch. 

"Alexis, I'm sorry. It was Benny." His hand slipped out of his pocket to drift up towards his nose, pinching the bridge of it tightly. "What do you need?" When another minute went by without an answer, he let his hand drop to her left shoulder. "Alexis? What's wrong?" he asked again, his voice laced with concern. 

Alexis brought her sneakered feet up to rest on the coffee table in front of her. "It's nothing," she answered finally, her voice mimicking the annoyance he'd showed her only moments before. 

Sonny came around the couch to look at her, when his eyes landed on the large wooden box sitting open at her feet. "Nice box he commented, his hand returning to his pocket. 

Alexis felt a laugh involuntarily bubble up her throat and out of her mouth. "Thanks." 

"Alexis." Her name came out as a sigh. "What is it?" He perched himself on the arm of her other sofa, a warning to her that he wouldn't leave until she confided in him. 

They sat like this, Sonny staring at Alexis, Alexis staring at the box for five minutes, until finally, Alexis uncrossed her arms, and held her left hand out to him. 

With his eyes transfixed on her face, he didn't notice the papers in her hand until she shook them. His fingers grasped the slightly yellowed papers, his eyes falling on the top of the first sheet. "Birth certificate?" 

He looked back up at her profile, waiting for an explanation. 

Alexis' eyes remained focused on the box as she spoke. "I need your help." 


	2. 

Untitled 02 Sonny moved from the arm of the sofa to the sofa cushions, questions swirling around in his head. His eyes dragged from the papers to Alexis' face. "How did this happen Alexis?" 

The lawyer's chocolate brown eyes remained on the wooden box in front of her as snapshots flipped through her mind. "I met him during my sophomore year of college. He was a pre-med. Wonderful man. He treated me like a queen." She fixed her eyes on Sonny, the sadness painfully evident. "He loved _me_, Alexis Davis, not Natasha Cassadine. He was the first one, really, to do that. And being the naïve girl I was, I gave myself to him, completely, foolishly thinking we would get married." Her eyes returned to the box, her arms wrapping around herself and squeezing tight. "When I told him I was pregnant, he completely changed. He took care of me, made sure I stayed healthy, but on one condition. That he take the baby, give it to a family he knew would be fit enough to care for it. So I agreed. I mean, what else could I do? I was really just starting my college education, working weekends as a telemarketer. I wouldn't have been able to take care of a baby." 

Sonny noticed a tear trickle down the side of her face and his heart broke. "Why now Alexis? It's been-" he looked at the birth date on the certificate, "twenty-one years. What's happened now that you want to find her?" 

Alexis looked at him through watery eyes. "I just want to know that she grew up ok. That the parents who adopted her loved her completely. That she didn't have to grow up like me, without love." 

Her last sentence completely broke through Sonny's hard exterior. He knew of the childhood she'd survived, and it wasn't all that different from his own. He stood up from the sofa and sat down next to her on the other sofa, putting his arm around her shoulders to pull her to him. "I'll do everything I can to help you Alexis." 

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Elizabeth dropped into the one chair that was devoid of boxes, consequently her favorite chair. She leaned her head back, inhaling the scent of paint cleaner that was embedded into the navy blue material. Her eyes cracked open to scan the box littered living room. Despite the mess, a smile formed on her face. 

"My home," she practiced, seeing how the words rolled off her tongue. Getting up from the chair, she tried it again. "Welcome to my home." She giggled at her own silliness, wrapping her arms around her chest to hug herself. 

"Elizabeth Webber, tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life." 


	3. 

Untitled 03 "Elizabeth?" 

Grabbing her stenographer's notebook and a pencil, Elizabeth entered her bosses office. "Yes Mr. Corinthos?" She looked at the mess on his desk through her stylish yet functional glasses. 

Sonny stood up behind the desk, dropping a thick stack of papers on the last bare spot on his desk. He looked up at her, his hand lazily scratching his stubbled cheek. "I have a business meeting at the Port Charles Grille in half an hour. Do you think you could get this mess organized before I get back?" He watched her survey the damage, an expectant look on his face. 

She nodded to him, placing her notebook and pencil on an empty chair. "Sure Mr. Corinthos." 

He smiled at her, his dimples flashing. "I knew there was a reason I liked you," he said heading towards the door to grab his coat. He looked back at his desk, and let out a low chuckle. "You'd swear my last secretary did this on purpose, pushing his hands through the sleeves of his jacket, he shot her another smile and a wink before heading out to his business lunch with Johnny tagging along behind him. 

Chewing on her lower lip, Elizabeth scanned the tumultuous desk, trying to decide where to start. She took a stack of papers closest to her, fanning them with her thumb. 

It took almost a whole hour for Elizabeth to decide which papers went in which file, and another half hour to put away most of the files. Kneeling on the floor, bent over the bottom drawer of a file cabinet with the last of the files at her side, she was startled when someone came into the office. 

The man walked in, his eyes focused on a sheaf of papers in his hand. "Sonny? Have you seen the rate increase from J&L Beans?" 

Elizabeth looked up, a small smile on her face, "My name's not Sonny, but yes I have." She giggled when the stranger's head bolted up from the papers. Standing up, she brushed her hands on her black, ankle length skirt and held it out to his for a handshake. "I'm Elizabeth. I'm Mr. Corinthos' new secretary." Her smile was warm, extending into her eyes. 

He took her small hand in his, literally swallowing it whole. "Jason Morgan. I'm Sonny's partner." 

"Ah yes," Elizabeth said with a nod, "As in Corthos-Morgan Coffee Warehouse. Nice to meet you Mr. Morgan." Her eyes scanned his body, taking in his straw colored hair, the broadness of his shoulders, the way his hips narrowed slightly from the rest of his torso. He also dressed differently than his partner, opting to wear a casual tee shirt and jeans instead of following Mr. Corinthos' suit and tie approach. 

Jason glanced around Sonny's office, unaware that he was being appraised. "When is he going to be back?" 

Elizabeth looked around Jason to see Sonny walking around her desk, Johnny dutifully following behind. "Right about now," she answered, pointing a slim finger out the door. 

"Hey Jason," Sonny greeted, slapping Jason on the shoulder. He stopped when he noticed his empty desk, "Elizabeth my dear, you're getting a raise, and the rest of the day off." He turned to her, a hundred watt grin lighting up his face. 

Elizabeth blushed lightly under the praise. "Really Mr. Corinthos, I was just doing my job." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, accutely aware that all three men were staring at her. 

Sonny shrugged, tossing his jacket on the chair. "And you did it so well, that I want you to go home and relax. That is, of course, you're unpacked?" He crossed his arms in front of him, waiting for an answer. 

"Uh, actually, I haven't finished. My Gram still has some boxes at her house, and I'm not sure how to get them to my apartment." She pulled her glasses off her face and twirled them around between her fingers. 

Sonny nodded, "Then take Johnny. He'll help you with anything you need." Taking her by the shoulders, he gently pushed her out the door. "Now go, and I don't want to see you here until tomorrow." He turned to his bodyguard, "You help her with anything." Checking to make sure Elizabeth's back was turned, he handed Johnny a wad of bills and mouthed 'anything' before returning to his office, closing the door behind him. 

After grabbing her purse from the desk drawer, she looked up at Johnny, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "You don't have to help, you know." She found herself taking him in much the same way she assesed Jason, even though the two were worlds apart. Where Jason was broad, Johnny was slightly more narrow. Where Jason's hair was the color of sun kissed hay, Johnny's was the color of milk chocolate. Both men exhuded strength, but Jason seemed be unaware of it, whereas Johnny made sure everybody knew. 

He watched her with a gleam in his eye as she looked him up and down. When her eyes traveled up his face, he smiled, causing her to blush. "It's not a problem. I'm pretty handy at carrying boxes." The joke put her a little more at ease, and he offered her his elbow as they left the warehouse. 

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Disappointed that her Gram wasn't home, Elizabeth let herself into the quaint little house, and led Johnny to the basement, where ten boxes stood, waiting for Elizabeth to take them home. After a few trips up and down the stairs, they climbed into the Escalade and headed over to Harborview towers. 

Johnny pointed out the few landmarks that were spattered throughout Port Charles. The Grille, Kelly's, the Hospital. 

Elizabeth turned to her companion. "Tell me Johnny, what do you do for fun in this town?" 

Johnny snickered, "Well, I don't really get out much, because of my job. But Mr. Corinthos is half owner of a blues club called Luke's." He paused for a moment, "Are you twenty-one?" He glanced over to see her nodding her head. "There's a bar on the outskirts of town, Jake's, if you're into that sort of thing. There really isn't much to do. New York City isn't too far away, so I think a lot of people go there." 

Elizabeth's eyes roamed over his chiseled profile, drinking in all of his fine lines while he concentrated on the road. She guessed he was about 35, a little too old for her, but an extremely handsome man. If she were just a few years older, she might be bold enough to ask him out. But not tonight. 

"This Jake's, it's on the outside of town?" she asked as they pulled into the parking garage at the towers. 

Johnny nodded, grabbing two boxes from the back of the SUV. "Just follow the main road, you can't miss it." 

After they had all the boxes brought up to her apartment, Elizabeth thanked Johnny and bid him goodnight, anxious to get him out of her apartment so she could go out and meet some new people. 


	4. 

Untitled 4 Sonny closed the door and turned to Jason, the laughter gone from his face. 

"Mendoza?" Jason asked, realizing why Sonny wanted his new secretary gone. 

Sonny nodded as he walked around his desk, his fingertips trailing lightly on the bare surface. He eased himself into the chair and kicked his feet up, a sigh escaping his lips. "He's growing balls, Jason. He's getting arrogant. Moving men in, in plain view. I can't believe he would try something like this." His fingers drummed on the empty desk. 

Jason moved to sit in the chair opposite Sonny and noticed the notebook left behind. It jogged his memory. "So who's the new girl?" he asked, "What happened to Stephanie?" 

Sonny shrugged, his mind still on Mendoza. "She was too awestruck, working for the mighty Sonny Corinthos." Sonny smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. 

Jason nodded in understanding, "So uh-" he motioned towards the door, "What's her name is going to be any different?" 

Sonny chuckled low, "Her name is Elizabeth, and yes, I think she'll be different." Taking his feet down from the desk, he perched his elbows on the marble surface, interlocking his hands together. "She's not from around here, and she's a couple of years older than Stephanie. The only person in town is her Grandmother. She doesn't know anybody else. So hopefully she won't hear anything about us for a little while." 

Jason glanced at his friend. "So what are we going to do about Mendoza?" 

Sonny shrugged and sat back in the chair. "Let him go. Lull him into a false sense of security. Find out his game plan, and attack." Checking his watch, he stood up from the chair. "I'm going to go home, surprise Carly and Michael, take them to the park. I'll see you tomorrow." 

Jason watched him walk out the door, waiting until he was out of sight before heading back to his own office to go over the books. He worked diligently for two hours, making sure all the numbers added up correctly. Standing up from his chair, he stretched his arms over his head, working out the kinks in his stiff muscles. He grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and shrugged it on. Even though it was nearing the end of May, he still wore his leather jacket, especially at night when he was riding his motorcycle. And tonight was the perfect night for a ride. 

Pushing his bike to the extreme limits, the wind roared in his ears, causing his hair to shake. He had no particular destination. Nowhere. Everywhere. The wind carried the scent of pine tree and acorns to his nose, and he reveled in that one simple joy. He couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness that had crept into him since Sonny mentioned Carly and Michael. He was happy for them, but there was still a small part of his heart that would always think of himself as Michael's father, and it hurt. 

Jason slowed the bike down enough to see how close he was to entering Port Charles again, and spotted a half full Jake's parking lot. Deciding a game or two of pool was just what he needed, he directed the bike in that direction. His foot instinctively kicked down the kick stand, and his hands scrubbed through his hair as he shook the feeling of the wind from it. 

He entered the dive, eyes scanning the room for anything out of place, a habit he wouldn't ever break. Satisfied that nothing was amiss, he approached the bar and ordered a beer. It was cool and refreshing as is flowed through his mouth and down his throat. So comforting that he downed it in two swallows and ordered another. Taking the second bottle, he turned to face the semi crowded bar. He leaned his back against the bar, his legs crossing at the ankles, his arms folded across his chest. His eyes fell onto the pool table, and watched a hustler taking some clueless sap for all his money. He shook his head at the financially challenged rube, a smirk on his face. 

He approached an empty pool table and began playing, worse than usual in the hope that the hustler might try to play one over on him. Jason's prediction was correct, and his whole body itched to beat the stuffing out of him. Before the hustler could approach Jason, his attention was diverted to a woman across the room, her head thrown back in a hearty laugh. Forgetting about Jason's poor pool skills, the con artist approached the woman, offering to buy her a drink, even though she was already surrounded by half a dozen men. 

Jason studied the woman, dark brown hair that hung loosely, brushing her shoulders. Her red V-neck tee shirt that clung to her body. The hip hugger jeans that hugged just a little too tightly. She half turned, revealing her face to Jason. A flicker of recognition danced behind his eyes, but faded into the background before he could decipher it. Her face was round, her lips full and pink. She had brushed a smoky gray eye shadow on her upper lids, bringing out the blue in her sparkling eyes. 

Something tugged inside of him, something he hadn't felt since Robin or Carly, and as Jason crossed the room to order another beer, he knew this girl was something special. 


	5. 

Puddle of Grace 5 After seeing Johnny to the door, Elizabeth tore down the hallway to her bathroom, stripping off her work clothes and leaving them in her wake. She turned on the water, as hot as she could stand it, and let it beat on her back, mentally going through her closet to see which clothes she would wear. 

She stepped out of the shower twenty minutes later feeling energized at the prospect of meeting new people. She dried off quickly, wrapping the towel around her wet hair while she slipped on her soft, black terry cloth robe. Plugging in her hair dryer, she aimed the nozzle at the steam covered mirror, until she had cleared an area big enough for her to see. She brushed her teeth while running around the apartment looking for her make up. After apply a smudge of smoky gray on each lid, she let her hair down. The soft, wet curls clung to her face while she pulled a comb through them. Elizabeth decided down was best, just using the hair dryer long enough to slightly dry her mane. 

She ran across the hall to her bedroom, knowing exactly what she would wear, something casual, yet something that would get people to notice her. She yanked a red V-neck tee shirt from the drawer, pulling it over the red lace bra she'd slipped on. Crossing the room, she flung open her closet, in search for her favorite pair of hip hugger jeans. They slid easily over her smooth legs, their deep blue color a dark contrast to her fair skin. Checking herself in the mirror, she slicked on a thin layer of lips gloss and headed out for the night. 

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Elizabeth handed the cabbie her fare, leaving him a dollar tip, as she stepped out of the cab. She heard him grumble 'cheapskate', but didn't bother to say anything. She studied the old building, a neon sign claiming it's name hanging over the entrance. Elizabeth was about to turn around and head back home, unsure if this was really her kind of place, when she felt the loud bass of rock music thumping through the ground at her feet. Before she could change her mind, Elizabeth was in and ordering a beer. 

She stood at the end of the bar, resting an elbow on the corner while she took a look around to familiarize herself with the place. A jukebox stood to one side, belting out an old Aerosmith tune, and there was a couple dancing in front of it. To the right of that stood four pool tables, each one busy with a game. She watched as some hopeless sap let himself get hustled by a tall, chocolate haired man. Elizabeth couldn't help but notice how good looking the hustler was, and would have been interested in him had he not been a con man. 

Elizabeth's legs grew tired from standing, so she picked a table towards the back, near the pool tables so she could watch. After a few minutes, a man from the bar came up to her with two bottles of beer in his hand and offered one to her. She accepted and invited him to sit down. They started talking, telling jokes, and before she knew it, she was surrounded by six or seven guys, including the hustler. She didn't mind, things like this would happen all the time. People were just drawn to her. 

She sat for a few minutes more when all of a sudden a chill ran up her spine. Elizabeth couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Her left hand went to her right arm to quell the goose bumps that appeared. Unable to bear the pressure, she turned her head slightly, to glance out of the corner of her eye at the pool tables to the side of her. She saw him in her peripheral vision, leaning against a pool table, ankles crossed, with a beer in his hand. His shape looked familiar, but she couldn't distinguish the details unless she turned more. So she did. 

A gasp caught in her throat when she realized the intense gaze belonged to her boss' partner. She flushed, and flashed him a smile, wondering if he recognized her. Glancing back to the men that surrounded her, Elizabeth realized that their attention was no longer focused on her, so she easily slipped away to go greet Mr. Morgan. 

His eyes never left her as she approached him, and it brought back her goose bumps. "Hi," she said nervously, her teeth catching on her bottom lip. 

"Hi." His reply was warm, his face showing no sign of recognition. 

She flashed him a smile and pointed towards the pool table he was leaning against. "Do you play pool?" 

He nodded, taking a drink from his bottle. "You?" 

She shook her head, wondering when he would ask her what his partner's secretary was doing in a place like Jake's. 

"Would you like to learn?" he asked, cocking his head to the right. 

Elizabeth laughed at the ancient pick-up line but accepted the offer anyway. 

They made polite small talk in the beginning while Jason showed her the basics of holding a cue stick and aiming for the pockets. Elizabeth was consciously aware of his hard, angular body weighing heavily on hers. When she tucked a piece of hair behind her right ear, she caught a faint whiff of his scent, leather and beer, and it excited her. Every time he looked at her, she expected him to say something about her working for Sonny. But it wasn't until he finally asked about her name that she realized he had no clue who she was. 

She leaned on the cue stick, her dark blue eyes traveling down his body. "Beth," she answered. If he didn't recognize her it was his problem, she rationalized. "And your name is?" she asked, with a gleam in her eye. 

"Jason," he answered before checking the clock above the bar. "Wow, two o'clock already. I need to be getting home." He took her cue stick from her as he passed by, and returned it to the cabinet on the wall. "I'll see you around, ok?" he asked, slipping his leather jacket on. 

Elizabeth's eyes watched his biceps flex slightly and missed his question. A tap on her shoulder broke her out of her trance. "What?" 

His chuckle was low, sounding almost like a growl. "You'll be around, for more lessons?" He motioned towards the pool table. 

She nodded, walking with him towards the door. "I'll be around." She stopped when they reached the pay phone and dug into her pocket for change. 

"Who are you calling?" Jason asked, shocking the both of them. 

She studied him for a minute, "I'm going to call a cab so I can get home." She furrowed her eyebrows before reaching up to slip the change in the slot. 

"Where do you live?" Jason couldn't believe he was asking her these things, but he knew he didn't want to say good night to her just yet. 

She scoffed, not sure why he was being so inquisitive. "Harborview Towers." She proceeded to punch in the numbers of the taxi service when he grabbed her wrist to stop her. 

"I'll give you a ride." It wasn't a question as much as it was a statement. 

She shook her head at the thought of her boss giving her a ride home. "It's ok, I can manage." She reached up to push the numbers, and once again he stopped her. 

"It's no trouble. I live in the building." His blue eyes blazed, and his mouth parted slightly, waiting for her to agree. 

Elizabeth sighed, glanced at the telephone, then glanced back at him. "If you say so." She hung up the phone and retrieved her change before following him out into the cool night. When she saw him head towards a motorcycle, she stopped walking and tipped her head to the side. "You want me to get on that?" 

He smiled at her and held out the helmet he kept for occasions such as this. "Too chicken?" 

She shivered and crossed her arms over her chest, rubbing her hands up and down her upper arms to keep warm. "No, but it's a little cool. I think I'll take the taxi." She turned to go back in and call, but he called to her. When she turned back around, he was holding his leather jacket out for her to put on. Shaking her head, she slipped her arms into it, laughing at the way her fingers barely peeked out of the sleeves. She looked up at him, holding her arms out to the sides and doubled over with laughter when her fingers disappeared. 

Shaking his head, Jason climbed onto the bike, waiting until Elizabeth got on behind him before starting the engine. He felt her place her hands just above the waist line of his jeans, and turned to yell at her over the roar of the bike. "Hang on tight!" 

She nodded, not hearing his words through the helmet. She waited with baited breath for him to take off, and when he did, she let out a squeal, leaning forward to wrap her arms around his abdomen. The lights were a blur as the flew down the road, barely stopping for red lights. Elizabeth felt like she was flying. When they arrived at the parking garage, she was glad to have the helmet on to tone down the echoing of the bike's engine. As soon as Jason shut it off, she jumped off, yanking the helmet off of her head, a huge smile on her face. "That was amazing!" she commented, shaking her hair loose. 

He sat and watched her, already missing the warmth her arms had created on his midsection. "I'm glad you liked it." 

"Liked it?" she repeated, "I loved it!" She handed him back the helmet, and their fingers brushed, causing a jolt of electricity humming through her body. Suddenly she realized who the man sitting before her was, and toned down her smile a few notches. "Thank you for the pool lesson, and the ride home," she said quietly. 

"It was no problem," he replied, swinging his leg from off of the bike. They walked in silence to the bank of elevators. "What floor?" he asked, pushing the button for the penthouse floor. 

"Fourth," she directed, her eyes focusing on the numbers as the lit up. 

He watched her in curiosity, realizing he'd never met anyone like her before. When the doors slid open to the fourth floor, he found he still didn't want to say good night to her. "Can I walk you to your room?" 

She looked up at him, startled, prepared to say good night. "Uh, sure." She heard him behind her, his boots dragging along the carpet. When they reached her apartment at the end of the hall, she turned to him. "Thanks again. I'm new in town, so I don't know a lot of people." She swallowed hard under the intensity of his clear blue eyes. 

Jason found himself reaching up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her left ear, and let his fingers lightly trail down her jaw line. "Well now you know me," he replied, his voice low. His eyes focused on her parted lips, how pink they were. How utterly kissable. 

Elizabeth felt the goose bumps return when he touched her, and more than anything she wanted to kiss him. She watched as his tongue darted out to lick his lips, and it wasn't until his other hand reached up to her other cheek that she snapped back into reality. "Yes, I do," she answered rather curtly. Tugging her keys out of the pocket of her jeans, she turned away from him, leaving his hands in mid air, to shove the key in the lock. After missing three times in a row, she watched his hand cover hers and slowly guide the key home. She chuckled nervously and scuttled into her apartment. "Goodnight Jason," she said, sticking her head out the door so he wouldn't follow her in. 

"Good night, Beth." He waited until she closed the door before letting out the breath he'd been holding in. 

Elizabeth leaned back against the door, her eyes closed, silently chastising herself for almost kissing her employer. Her hand still tingled from his contact with her, and she suddenly remembered she still had his jacket on. 

"Jason!" She whipped around and threw the door open, hoping to catch him before he returned to the elevator. To her surprise, he was still standing in front of her door. She slid the coat off and handed it to him. "I forgot your coat." 

When he reached for it, their fingers touched again, the electric pulse stronger than before, and it was all Elizabeth could do to keep from kissing him. 

Closing the door, she slid down the hard surface to land on the floor, her knees tucked under her chin. 

"Lord help me." 


	6. 

Puddle of Grace 06 Sitting at his desk, Sonny shuffled through the half inch think stack of papers that needed to be singed. His mind wandered back to that afternoon, Michael's laugh echoing in his head. Sonny smiled, thankful for everything he'd been blessed with. Carly. Michael. Jason's forgiveness. Sonny sighed and stood up from the desk, sticking the papers in his briefcase to bring to the warehouse tomorrow. As he headed towards the door to let Johnny know he was going to bed for the night, there was a knock on the penthouse door, and a second later Johnny's head popped inside. 

"Mr. Corinthos, it's Benny." The guard moved aside to let Benny in. 

Sonny groaned, his hand rubbing his face. "Make it quick Benny." His eyes shot bullets at the accountant. 

Benny smiled nervously, "Sorry boss, I know it's late, but you told me you wanted to know right away." Benny opened the file he'd been holding, and handed it to Sonny. "Mendoza has brought in two dozen men so far. The projection predicts about two or three dozen more." 

Sonny's eyes scanned the paper, his face growing darker by the second. "Does he think I don't have the manpower to match?" he growled, flipping the file closed and slamming it on the desk. The sound of the folder slapping the polished desk surface reverberated throughout the penthouse. 

Benny watched while Sonny splayed his palms flat on the desk, leaning over it as if he were nauseous. He stood like that for a few moments, then pushed off, a string of expletives flowing from his mouth. 

Benny shifted his weight from one foot, to the other, and then back again. This was the part of his job he hated the most, giving his boss bad news. "There's one other thing." 

Sonny turned around, his hand pushing through his raven hair. "What?" 

Benny smiled again out of nervous habit. "That matter you wanted me to look into? About the child? The name you gave me, there's no trace of him." Benny watched Sonny approach the wet bar to fix himself a scotch. "It's like he never existed." 

In one swallow, the half inch of scotch was gone. Sonny nodded, slamming the glass back down on the table. "Is that it?" He looked at Benny, his eyes suddenly hollow, empty. 

The accountant took a step backwards, "For now." 

"Keep me posted." Sonny walked him to the door, watching until the elevator doors closed behind him before knocking on Alexis' door. 

She answered with a big smile on her face, obviously expecting somebody else. The smile fell when she realized it was Sonny on the other side of her door. She stood back, her eyes never leaving him as he walked silently into her penthouse, is hand scratching at his stubble. "You found something." It wasn't a question, but a statement. 

He nodded, letting himself look at her finally. A small smile tugged at his lips when he noticed she was wearing nothing but a robe. "Am I interrupting something?" 

She looked down, a blush creeping into her cheeks, and tightened the belt. "No. What, Sonny. Just tell me." She walked past him towards the sofa where a bowl of popcorn sat waiting for her. 

Sonny's chuckle was low as he followed her, his eyes focused on her bare feet. "Alexis, are you sure the man's name was Jamie Masters?" 

"Yes, I'm sure. Why?" She looked up at him, immediately reading the expression on his face. "You can't find him?" 

Sonny sat down on the arm of the sofa with a groan. "Benny says there's no records of him." 

Alexis instantly shot up from the couch, "You told Benny?! Sonny! You said you would keep this to yourself! I knew I should've done this on my own." She paced the floor in front of the sofa, hands on her hips, her short ponytail bobbing with every step. 

Sonny's hand reached out to take hold of her wrist and stop her. "I told Benny the guy's name. That's it. He doesn't know who asked me to search for him." His eyes bored into hers, forcing her to calm down. "I wouldn't do that to you, Alexis. You know I wouldn't." 

Alexis looked down at his hand on her wrist, the heat that emanated from it spread throughout her whole body, calming her at once. "How do you do that?" 

He cocked an eyebrow, his thumb stroking the inside of her wrist, where he could feel her pulse through the thin skin. "Do what?"   
  
  
She smiled slightly, her head entranced by the rhythm his thumb created. "Calm me down so easily." Her eyes closed, and a moment later she felt cool air his her wrist where his hand had just been. She looked down, a slight frown on her face when she saw his arms crossed over his chest. "I'm sorry. I knew you would need Benny. I've just been a little stressed." She dropped back down on the couch with a sigh, leaning her head against the back to turn her face to the sky. 

Sonny cleared his throat. "Don't worry about it." Before he knew what he was doing, he saw his hand reaching out, his fingers brushing a stray hair from Alexis' face. "We'll find him Alexis. And your daughter." His finger tips lingered against her soft skin, and Sonny would've sworn he could detect the faintest scent of jasmine in the air. "Good night, Alexis." His hand reluctantly dropped from her face and slid into Sonny's pocket. He headed towards the door, allowing himself one last look before leaving the penthouse. 

Closing the door quietly behind him, he heard the soft ding of the elevator, and waited to see who it was. He wasn't too surprised when the doors opened and he saw Jason. What did surprise him was Jason's distracted attitude towards Sonny. 

"Jason?" 

Jason jolted, his brows knotting when he looked to see his partner standing in the hall. "Yeah?" 

Sonny's head cocked to the side. "Something wrong?" 

Jason shook his head, stepping on the elevator. "No." 

"Yeah ok," he chuckled. "What's her name?" 

"Beth," he replied, a second before realizing his mistake. 

Sonny motioned for Jason to enter his penthouse, "Must be some girl." 

Jason pushed his hand through his hair to stop at the nape of his neck. "Yeah, it's weird. I could swear I know her from somewhere." He shook his head again, ridding his mind of Elizabeth's image. 

Sonny grinned, his dimples running deep. "You going to see her again?" 

Jason shrugged, anxious to change the conversation. "What do you need me for?" 

The older man pointed to the folder on his desk. "Mendoza. He's preparing." He poured himself another scotch. 

Jason's blue eyes read over the file, his fingers tapping on the folder. "That's a lot of men, especially for Port Charles." He looked at Sonny, "Any idea what he's up to?" 

Sonny swallowed the alcohol, grimacing as it flowed down his throat. "Benny's going to try and put a guy on the inside." 

Jason nodded, tossing the file back on the desk. "That all?" He watched Sonny nod once. "Then I'll see you at the warehouse tomorrow." He turned to leave, his leather jacket in hand. 

Sonny watched Jason open the door. "You better see her again!" he yelled just before Jason shut the door. 


	7. 

Puddle of Grace 07 Elizabeth's arm shot out from under the covers, slapping the alarm clock that was buzzing in her ear. Rubbing her eyes, she simply lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling while her mind brought her back to the previous night. Her nose could still detect his leather scent, the masculinity of it. She smiled when his face floated into view, his eyes the color of a pristine Minnesota lake. "Give it up Webber," she said with a groan. 

Elizabeth still couldn't believe she had stayed out until two a.m. She sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes closed, her chin tilted up just slightly. She could still feel the wind on her face from their ride. Her fingers sizzled from where he touched her. She sighed, her whole body slumping with the realization that she had a crush on her boss. She shuffled to the bathroom, dropping her pajamas on the floor behind her before stepping into the ice cold water fall. She stood that way for a few minutes, until the thought of Jason ebbed, before turning the water blazing hot. 

Combing her fingers through her damp hair, Elizabeth chose a black, ankle length wrap around skirt, and match wrap around shirt, which stopped just above her belly button. Looking down at her belly button, Elizabeth giggled, her thumb gently flicking the silver barbell she had impulsively aquired just one month before she moved. She sighed, thinking about how she might not even be in Port Charles if it hadn't been for this small piece of metal, and her parents' adamant disapproval of absolutely everything she did. She shook her head, forcing the Webbers out of her mind as she slipped her feet into a pair of black mules. Grabbing her keys from the chair she'd haphazardly dumped them into the night before, she set off for work, a half a dozen butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the thought of seeing Jason again. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 

Elizabeth glanced at her watch, breathing a sigh of relief when she realized she was half an hour away from going home and she had yet to bump into Jason. All she really had left to do was file away some invoices, set up a couple of appointments for Sonny, and clean off her desk. She didn't even groan when Sonny called for her from his office. 

As soon as she walked in, Sonny handed her a file. "I need you to fax these order for me. After you file them, go on home." Sonny stopped to watch Elizabeth shuffle through the papers. "You are a Godsend."  
  
  
Elizabeth mumbled in agreement a second before her head jerked up, the words registering. The dimpled smile on his face spread to her own lips, a light blush staining her cheeks. "Mr. Corinthos. I've only been here for two days." 

He walked past her to take his coat from the hook. "And you've already transformed my office." His dimples deepened as her blushed grew darker. "I'll see you tomorrow." He shot her a wink before leaving his office. 

Elizabeth stood in place, her eyes following him down the hall until he disappeared into the elevator. Shaking her head with a laugh, she turned towards the fax machine. It only took her 10 mintues to feed the order through and another fifteen minutes to place them in their correct files. She headed towards the door, her eyes fixed on her watch. Before she had time to look up, she hit a wall and stumbled backwards, saved from falling down by the hand that gripped her wrists. 

"Are you ok?" a voice asked her. 

Elizabeth's eyes were focused on the floor, on the boot's that stood in the doorway. She stiffened slightly when her eyes traveled upward, into familiar territory. He may have been wearing a different colored tee shirt, but she could recognize his arms, his hands, anywhere. 

She chukled nervously, pulling her right hand out of his grasp to push her glasses back up on her nose. "Guess I should watch where I'm going." She dared to look into his eyes, and got caught up in the sea of deep blue that peered down at her. 

He smiled slightly, then looked into Sonny's office. "I missed him, didn't I?" 

She nodded, acutely aware that his right hand was still firmly wrapped around her left wrist. "Can I-" she tugged her arm slightly, "have my arm back?" 

He glanced down at his hand, immediately letting go. "Sorry." His eyes squinted a bit, taking her in. The way her hair was severely pulled back into a tight bun high on her head. The rectangle glasses she wore. The black of her shirt contrasting sharply with her skin tone. His breathing halted when he saw the creamy strip of exposed skin between her skirt and shirt. He forced his eyes back up to her face, his hands itching to touch right there, above her belly button ring. Tipping his head to the side, he took a good look at her face, fresh looking with no make up. Her eyes big and blue, almost dancing. Something flickered behind his eyes, too quickly for him to see what it was. "Do I know you from somewhere?" 

"No." Elizabeth said, a little too quickly. "Well, you met me yesterday." She shifted under his intense gaze. "I was filing some papers for Mr. Corinthos-" 

He held up a hand, "Yeah, I know that. I mean from somewhere other than here." 

She shook her head, not wanting to ruin the illusion just yet. "I just moved to town last week. I don't know how you could know me." She moved to walk past him to get to her desk, his bare forearm harmlessly brushing against her exposed stomach. The goosebumps from the night before came flooding back, and instinctively her hands went to her arms to soothe them. 

Jason turned around, shaking his head. "You just seem familiar, that's all." He glanced at her, her name suddenly popping into his head. "Elizabeth, right?" 

Elizabeth was glad her back was turned to him so he wouldn't see the huge smile on her face. She chastised herself for enjoying this so much. "Yes, I'm Elizabeth. Elizabeth Webber." She turned around to look at him one more time. "And you're Mr. Morgan, partner to Mr. Corinthos. Right?" She liked to tease him, liked to see his smile. 

He chuckled, his hand rising to scratch the back of his neck. "Ok, ok. It's just that you-" 

"Seem familiar," they said together, their eyes locking. They stood like that for a brief moment, neither one talking until Elizabeth broke the silence. 

"I really do need to go home and do some more unpacking so I can go out tonight." She watched Jason, expecting the recognition to come at any moment. 

Jason nodded, "Can I walk you to the elevator?" 

They both stopped, a sense of deja vú washing over Jason. 

"Sure," she answered, her back stiffening slightly when his hand went to the small of her back, his calloused fingers brushing against her bare skin. 

They stood in silence, waiting for the elevator doors to open up. When they did, it took Elizabeth a moment to realize she could get on. 

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Jason asked, his eyes hopeful. 

Elizabeth nodded, "Bright and early." Their eyes locked, only to be cut off when the doors closed. Even when the elevator started to descend, they stood rooted to their spots. Jason directly in front of the elevator doors, Elizabeth right in the middle of the elevator. Their eyes remained frozen the way they were left, still looking into each other's eyes. Each of them asking themselves one question. 

_What was that?_


	8. 

Puddle of Grace 8 Elizabeth sat in the bathtub, running over her last few minutes at work. How Jason didn't recognize her, she didn't know. She didn't think she dressed that much differently between day and night. She looked at the shirt and skirt in a heap on the floor and amended that last thought. She did tend to dress a little trendier at night, when she wanted to meet people. So she couldn't really blame him. Tonight she would tell him who she was. Maybe. 

She dried off quickly, smoothing her favorite peppermint scented lotion on her skin. It made her body tingle, yet didn't smell too strong. She swept her wet hair up into a clip, intending on drying it after her make up. Instead, when she looked in the mirror, she liked what she saw and decided to leave it that way. She choose a deep purple eye shadow, to deepen the blue of her eyes. 

Shedding her robe, she sauntered across the hall to her bedroom and stood before her closet. Her teeth chewed on her lower lip while she scanned the clothes before her, finally settling on a pair of black leather pants. And to go with the pants, she chose a white V-neck tee shirt from her bureau. To complete the look, she slipped on a pair of Doc Martens. Her eyes lingered on the clock which read 10:30 pm, and Elizabeth silently wondered if Jason would even _be_ at Jake's. 

Her doubt melted away when she spotted his bike in the parking lot. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Her eyes instantly fell upon the bank of pool tables in search of him. When she located him, her lips started to curve upwards, only to be frozen in a half smile when she noticed some bleach blonde bimbo draping herself all over him. Elizabeth kicked herself for thinking that he would be alone this late at night, and turned around to sit at the bar. 

She could hear the woman's grating laughter above everything else in the hazy bar, and it made Elizabeth grit her teeth. How she could think that a man as good looking as Jason Morgan would want anything to do with her? She downed the beer in two big swallows, cursing herself inwardly and outwardly. Elizabeth never felt so grateful when the beast finally stopped her insipid laughing, waving her hand in the air to get the bartenders attention. Before she could ask him for another beer, someone behind her cut her off. 

"Two beers please," the man behind her order, squeezing himself in between her and the man sitting next to her. 

Elizabeth's body stiffened when she heard his voice, and she instantly turned her head away from him. But it was too late. 

"Beth?" he asked, his hand touching her shoulder. 

Through the thin cotton of her tee shirt, Elizabeth could feel the searing heat he generated, and it spread throughout her body. "Oh Jason, hi." She refused eye contact, not wanting him to see how disappointed she was at seeing him with another woman. 

He leaned his elbow on the bar, effectively pinning Elizabeth to her bar stool. Her knee brushed against his hip, and it made her jump. "Hi," he replied. "I didn't see you come in." He looked up when the bartender set two bottles on the bar. Jason looked back to the pool tables to see what the annoying blonde was doing. Satisfied that she'd moved on, he placed the second bottle of beer in front of Elizabeth. 

"Thanks." She took a drink from the bottle, still avoiding his eyes. 

Jason glanced around the bar, at the clock, and then back at Elizabeth. "Want to get out of here?" 

Elizabeth nearly spit out the beer in her mouth. Fortunately for her, she managed to swallow, the liquid like a tennis ball in her throat. "And go where?" 

Jason shrugged, "Anywhere." His eyes sparkled. He would rather be anywhere than at that bar, at that moment. 

Elizabeth remembered the short sleeve shirt she was wearing, and cursed herself for not grabbing something to wear over it before she left the apartment. 

Before she could turn him down, he glanced at her arms, realizing her hesitation. "You can wear my coat again." 

Elizabeth laughed, "And what about you? You'll freeze?" She took another swallow of beer, more and more sure that all she wanted was to hop on the back of his bike and ride forever. 

Jason shook his head. "It doesn't bother me. Besides, I'd like to show you around Port Charles." He watched her tongue slip between her lips to lick them, felt his own lips itch to kiss her. 

Elizabeth looked back at the bottle of beer, her fingertips gently peeling the label away while she mulled his offer over in her mind. "Ok." She looked at him, startled by the deep sapphire color of his eyes. 

"Ok," he repeated, reaching into his pocket to pay the bartender. He grabbed his jacket from the pool table, shoving past the annoying blonde, and handed it to Elizabeth. When they got outside to his bike, he handed her the helmet. "Hold on tight this time, ok?" 

She nodded, taking the clip out of her hair so she could put the helmet on. "I learned my lesson last night," she replied with a devilish glint in her eye. She let him get on the bike first, and then she followed suit, wrapping her arms around his torso right off the bat. 

He closed his eyes, his stomach muscles clenching underneath her arms. It had been a long time since Jason felt this kind of reaction, and he liked it. He felt the weight of the helmet resting on his back and, taking it as a sign, turned the key to start the engine. 


	9. 

Puddle of Grace 09 Elizabeth watched the lights as the bike sped down the streets, each one melting into the next in a continuous line of golden yellow. The neon signs from the various buildings added a dash of color every now and again, red here, blue there. All Elizabeth wanted was to yank off the helmet and feel the wind flow through her hair. 

She let out a sigh when Jason started slowing the bike down, her eyes drinking in the scenery around her. Her nose filled with the scent of pine trees. Elizabeth climbed off the bike first, unstrapping the helmet to shake out her hair. Removing her clip from the pocket of Jason's jacket, she swept her hair back up so it was out of her face. 

Jason watched her while she took in her surroundings, it was like she was seeing a forest for the very first time. He watched her hands reach up into her hair, pulling it back from her face, and something inside him clicked. His eyes roamed down her body, noticing that her shirt had gotten pulled out of the waistband of her jeans. His fingers itched to touch the exposed skin, and something else clicked inside of him. Squinting his eyes, he could've sworn he saw a glint of silver, but Elizabeth dropped her arms too soon for him to get a good look. 

He swung his leg over to dismount the bike, taking the helmet from Elizabeth's outstretched hand. "This is the best part of Port Charles." He stood close to her, too close. He closed his eyes, his nose taking in the light peppermint scent of her shampoo. She looked so small in his jacket, so vulnerable. 

She turned to look up at him and was startled by his close proximity. She took a side step to put some distance between them. "The best part? That doesn't say much for the city, does it?" She tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a nervous chuckle. 

She watched him stand in place, his eyes closed while his chest rose and fell. The moonlight bathed him in a silver glow, making him look heavenly and dangerous at the same time. His eyes opened, and even in the dark, Elizabeth could see the ice blue orbs, felt them trying to delve into her soul, and it scared her. She turned away from him, and walked a few feet, her hands gently brushing the branches of the pine trees closest to her. "Do you come here often?" she asked without turning around. She jumped he spoke, his voice sounding from right behind her. 

He quietly followed her, placing his hands on her shoulders when she jumped. "Sometimes. When I need to think." Elizabeth had missed a small tendril of hair, and it brushed softly against the back of his hand, whispering for him to take her clip out and sink his hands into her hair. 

She walked away from him, looking over her shoulder to see his hands still hovering in mid air, where her shoulders had been. "And you need to think now?" She bent over to pick up a pine cone, anything to keep her hands to herself. "This is your boss, Webber," she muttered to herself. 

Jason's head cocked to the side, catching the word boss. He shook his head slowly, his eyebrows furrowed. "No, not really." He approached her again, mindful to keep a safe distance between them. "I was just hoping to get to know you better." His eyes locked on her for a second time, and Elizabeth could've sworn she had seen the stars reflected in them. 

Elizabeth chuckled nervously, swinging her hands out to her sides. "There isn't much to know." She walked past him, desperate to be free from his gaze, but she could feel the instant he turned around, his eyes boring into her back. She refused to turn around as she gave him a background sketch of her life. "I have two parents, Jeff and Melanie. Two siblings, Steven and Sarah- Steven," she pointed at nothing in particular, "Is the oldest, and _way _too over-protective." She took a deep breath, "I'm too wild for their taste, so I was ordered to move." She spun around then, her hands held out at sides, level with her shoulders, her palms facing the sky. "And here I am, in Port Charles. Without a friend in the world." Her smile was lopsided, a wave of sorrow sweeping through her. 

Jason closed the distance between them, "I'll be your friend." He wanted to touch her, take her hand, but he knew she would pull away. 

Her head cocked to the side, her smile brightening. "Thanks." She let her hands drop back to their sides. "So what about you? Do I get to know you better? Or is this going to be a one-sided friendship?" Her eyes danced, teasing him, taunting him. 

Jason let out a stiff laugh, "Yeah, me." He chuckled again at the thought of telling her about the accident. "We'll save that for another night." His eyes caught her again, and didn't let go. He could see her hesitate, wanting to say something yet holding back. "Beth?" he asked, trying to get her to talk. 

Instead, Elizabeth looked down at her watch. "Oh my gosh!" She jogged back to the bike, slamming the helmet down on her head. She let out a yelp when it collided with the clip in her hair. "Jason, I need to get home. It's 12:30! I have to get up for work in five and a half hours!" She watched him hesitate, his shoulders slumping slightly before he returned to the bike. "What is it that you _do_ anyway," he grumbled, swinging his leg over the bike to kick the kick stand up. 

"I'm a secretary," she answered, her hand flying up to her mouth when she realized what she's said. She could feel Jason stiffen slightly, then relax when his fingers turned the key. 

Jason heard the click as clearly as he could hear the motorcycle engine. _ Beth. Eliza**beth**._ He revved the engine, his lips curving in a half smile, the realization hitting him. 

It only took them fifteen minutes to arrive at the Towers, but Elizabeth never relaxed once. She knew he would figure it out now, how could he not? All she could do was make it to her room without incident, and hope that he would forget about her. 

She watched his face, searching for any sign of recognition. Satisfied that there was none, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. Remembering her mistake from the previous night, she removed his jacket right away, handing it to him while they were still in the parking garage. His fingers brushed hers, causing her to jerk her hand away, dropping his jacket on the ground. 

He bent over to pick it up, his eyes leaving her for half a second. When he straightened, he noticed she was half-way to the elevators, and had to jog to catch up with her. "Beth! Wait!" 

Elizabeth didn't stop, just kept on walking. She let out a curse when she had to stop and wait for the elevator. 

He caught up to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Did I do something wrong?" His eyes conveyed the hurt he felt, and it broke through to her heart. 

She shook her head, her lips tightly pressed together. "No, I just, I thought you were right behind me, I'm sorry." She knew he wouldn't believe her, but she needed to get away from him, before she did something she would regret. 

He gave her a look telling her he knew she was lying, but let it go. With his hand on her back, he guided her into the waiting elevator. Jason left his hand on her back, reveling in the contact, even if her tee shirt was in the way. He looked down at the top of her head, a small smile on his face as all the pieces started falling in place. 

Elizabeth barely gave the doors time to open fully before she exited, leaving Jason and his hand hanging in the hair. She shoved her hands into the pocket of her pants to get her keys ready. His boots thumped on the floor behind her, but she tried to will them away, wishing he would just turn around and leave. 

When they reached her door, he grabbed her elbow and spun her around, forcing her to look at him. "Listen Beth, I don't know what's wrong, but I _do_ know that you don't have to run from me." He spotted the small curl of hair just behind her ear and his hand went to it to rub it between his fingers. His eyes focused on hers, daring her to break away. 

"Jason I-" her mouth let out a small gasp when his finger tips brushed the curve of her neck, and she could've sworn she saw sparks out of the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry. I'm just, I have to get some sleep. That's all. Really." Her eyes pleaded with him to believe her while his fingers traveled upward to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. 

He nodded, outwardly he would agree with her. Inwardly he knew the truth, or at least suspected. He let his hand cup the left side of her face, his thumb softly stroking her cheek. "Can I see you again?" 

She closed her eyes, pressing her cheek into his rough, calloused hand. "I- don't- " her eyes fluttered open, her mouth eliciting another gasp when she found his body inches away from hers, his head bent down. She could feel his breath on her face, could smell the bitter beer, and all she wanted to do was taste it, taste _him._ She jerked her face away from his hand. "Good night, Jason," she said stiffly, slipping the key into the lock on the first try. She didn't look back until the door was closed, and she leaned her forehead against it, her palm flat on the smooth surface. 

He stood before her door, his hand touch the cool wood. If the material had melted away right then, their hands would be touching. He stood like that for a moment, his mind clicking. Letting out a heavy sigh, he turned to retreat to the elevators. 

When the elevator doors opened to him, Jason turned the corner to visit Sonny instead of heading to his own penthouse. He knew his friend would be awake, and there was a question he needed to ask him. Johnny ushered him in, closing the door softly behind him. 

Sonny looked up from the contracts spread out on the dining table. "What is it?" he asked gruffly, assuming it was Mendoza. 

Jason smiled slightly, a far away look in his eye. "That new secretary, Elizabeth. Do you know where she lives?" He locked eyes with Sonny, his smile brightening just a bit. 

Sonny rubbed his face, caught slightly off guard by Jason's question. "Yeah, downstairs. 4G. Why?" 

Jason chuckled at himself for not realizing it sooner. "You remember the girl? From last night?" 

Sonny nodded, unsure where Jason was going with his questions. 

"Elizabeth. Beth. She's your secretary." Jason laughed out loud at Sonny's surprised expression. 

Sonny stopped, his exhausted mind trying to process Jason's words. "My secretary?" he pointed to himself. "And you?" he pointed to Jason. His dimples popped out at the implication that his partner and his secretary liked each other. 

Jason sobered up slightly, and walked towards the table, slumping into the chair across from Sonny. "There's only one problem." 

Sonny chuckled, his dimples growing deeper. "What's that?" 

Jason's finger traced circles on the sleek table. "I think she's afraid of dating her boss. Or, at least, her boss' partner." He looked up at Sonny, his eyes twinkling. 

Sonny's chuckle was low and knowing. "And I'm guessing you don't have a problem with it?" 

Jason shook his head, "But I need your help in convincing her." 

Sonny nodded, folding his hands together. "Anything." 


	10. 

Puddle of Grace 10 Elizabeth lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her alarm was set to go off in ten minutes, and she still hadn't fallen asleep. Every time she closed her eyes, his face would appear, his lazy half smile haunting her. His piercing blue eyes taunting her. She could still feel the weight of his hand on her face, the gentle stroke of his thumb. Her stomach did flip flops just thinking about it, not to out-do the flock of butterflies that took off in her stomach when he _did_ touch her, barely six hours ago. 

Elizabeth tried to remember the last time she ever felt like this, like she was floating. Her eyebrows creased, her mind searching for one moment, just one single second when she'd felt like this. She couldn't. Not even with her last boyfriend did she feel like this. 

She scoffed as Brad's face fluttered into view. His cinnamon colored hair, his eyes like rich hot cocoa. The only flaw on his face were his too thin lips, but Elizabeth didn't care. For awhile he was good to her, everything little girls dream of. But then she started feeling secondary. Mutual friends would invite her along to parties only if Brad could come. Then she became known as "Brad's Girlfriend." _Do you know Elizabeth? Oh yeah, Brad's girlfriend, right? That's right. _Elizabeth could feel the love, if there ever was any, slipping away. 

One day she found herself on the telephone, talking to a person she had once been close to. When the person on the other end couldn't remember who she was until Elizabeth said, "Brad's girlfriend," Elizabeth decided she'd had enough. Even her parents seem to show more interest in Brad than they did in her own daughter. So, Elizabeth took a pair of scissors and, standing before the bathroom mirror, cut off her mid-back length hair to just above her shoulders. When she still wasn't satisfied, she grabbed her purse and the car keys, and ran out of the house to the nearest tattoo/ piercing parlor. She was extremely tempted to get a tattoo, but decided against it and the pain. So she choose a belly button ring instead. 

After that, she drove over to Brad's house, where she promptly ended their relationship. Elizabeth had to laugh in the car on the way home at Brad's lack of surprise. _He probably has another dupe all lined up,_ she told herself. 

When her parents returned home, they nearly had an aneurysm. The yelling and screaming began almost immediately, Jeff and Melaine telling Elizabeth that's she's just not the same girl she used to be. Elizabeth accusing them of loving Brad more than they loved her. Jeff and Melaine putting their foot down on, of all things, a belly button ring. Elizabeth declaring her independence from a loveless, respectless family. She stormed out of the house to her best friend's house, and stayed the night. 

The next day, well after her parents had gone to work, Elizabeth called her Grams in Port Charles, explaining the situation. Grams had always lavished Elizabeth with love and attention, and Liz knew her Grams would be there to help her. So in just three short days, Elizabeth had all her belongings packed up in boxes, and headed off to Port Charles. She left a note behind for her parents, explaining to them where and why she was going, and that she had no intention of ever seeing them again. 

Elizabeth closed her eyes against the memories, forcing Brad's face to disappear to the darkest recesses of her memory. He wasn't worth it, and Elizabeth certainly wasn't going to spend anymore time grieving for a relationship that was doomed from the beginning. 

Elizabeth sat up just as her alarm started blaring. Her eyes stung from lack of sleep, and her mind kept torturing her, reminding her of Jason and the way he smelled. The way he looked. The way he said her name. 

_Beth._

She'd never liked that particular nickname, but with Jason, it didn't feel like a name. It felt like air. 

Elizabeth could definitely see herself falling for a guy like Jason. And not just because of the bad boy image he liked to portray with his leather jacket, his heavy black boots, or his motorcycle. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about Jason Morgan that made him completely different from anyone she'd ever met. 

Oh yeah, Elizabeth Webber could _definitely_ fall for Jason Morgan. If only he wasn't her boss. 


	11. 

Puddle of Grace 11 Elizabeth yawned, the dinging of the warehouse's elevator sounding a thousand times louder than normal. She could barely keep her eyes open, her fists rubbing them constantly to keep them open. When the elevator doors finally opened, Elizabeth took a step forward, and got the heel of her shoe stuck in the gap between the floor and the elevator. She let out a small yelp, and would have fallen flat on her face had someone not been there to catch her. 

"And good morning to you," an all too familiar voice greeted. 

She turned her head up slowly, her hair hanging in her face, concealing the blush that had grown on her cheeks. "Good morning," she replied, slipping her foot out of the stuck shoe so she could stand up straight. 

Jason's eyes glittered with silent laughter. "Need some help?" He pointed to her shoe, and crouched down to free it. Turning to her, he took her leg to lift her foot off the ground and slip the shoe back on. He smiled slightly when he discovered she wore no pantyhose, and that she painted her toe nails a deep purple. After getting the shoe on, he let his hand slide up to her calf muscle and give it a squeeze. "There." He stood up, brushing his hands off on his jeans. "Do you want me to walk you to your desk?" he said with a wink before entering the elevator. 

Elizabeth's blush deepened, her eyes lingering on him, even after the doors closed. Of all the people to run into first thing in the morning, it _had_ to be Jason. She shook her head, realizing just how horrible this day would be. 

When she turned the corner to toss her purse on her desk, she noticed a single white rose placed in a lead crystal vase sitting right in the middle of the empty surface. Her eyebrows knotted, her eyes searching the desk for a note. When she found none, she leaned over, dipping her nose into the soft petals to inhale their scent. Elizabeth let a smile form on her lips, but it slowly disappeared when she realized she had no idea who would be sending her flowers. Before she could think about it further, Sonny called her into his office. 

She found him sitting behind his desk, a stack of contracts waiting to be messengered out in front of him. His eyes were focused on the top sheet, his hand motioning for her to sit in the chair in front of him. He scrawled his signature on the paper, dropping the pen on the desk to look up at her. His eyebrows met instantly as his eyes took in her pale face, her red, burning eyes. 

"Elizabeth? Are you ok?" He stood up from the chair to come around the desk, dropping into a crouch in front of her. "Is there something wrong?" He brushed her bangs away from her forehead to feel for a temperature. 

Elizabeth smiled weakly, pushing Sonny's hand away. "I'm fine. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night." Her eyes followed him as he rose to lean against the desk. 

"That's all?" he asked, a stern look on his face. 

She nodded, and managed a small laugh. "Actually, I didn't get any sleep last night." 

Sonny cocked his head to the side. "Then why didn't you call in sick? I would've understood, Elizabeth. I'm not a slave driver." 

Her eyes fell to the ground, focusing in on the shine of Sonny's shoes. "I know, but it's only my third day." 

Sonny took her upper arm in his hand, gently pulling her into a standing position to lead her to the door. "I don't care. You won't be of much use if you're half asleep." He took her purse from the top of the desk and handed it to her before continuing down the hallway to the bank of elevators. "Just go home, take a long bath, get some sleep. And I'll see you tomorrow." He pushed the down button, his hand now on the small of her back. He let his hand drop one the doors opened. His chocolate colored eyes watched her until the doors began to close, and he suddenly remembered why he called her into his office in the first place. 

He thrust his hand out to catch the closing doors. "Elizabeth? The reason I asked you into my office? What are you doing tonight?" 

Elizabeth's head shot up, confusion and fear rippling across her face. "Mr. Corinthos, I- You're married!" 

Sonny's eyebrows knotted for a second before a smile broke out on his face. "No, no. I want you to meet my wife." He chuckled at her assumption. "And I know you don't know many people in town, so I thought you might like to join my family and I for dinner." His head cocked to the side, his smile still bright, while he waited for her answer. 

Her eyes searched his face for a catch. When she found none, she gave him a tentative smile and a nod. "Sure, I'll come. Penthouse 4, right?" She remembered his penthouse, how spacious it had been, and the doorman that was posted outside, Johnny, whom she now knew. 

Sonny nodded, moving his hand away so the doors could close. "Seven o'clock." He waited until the doors closed before turning back to his office, a low chuckle erupting from his lips. 


	12. Chapter 12

Puddle of Grace 12 Elizabeth smoothed her hands over the ankle length summer dress, her tongue wetting her lips for the tenth time in thirty seconds. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears and she chuckled nervously, mentally berating herself for her nervousness. Her eyes drifted down, taking in the pale blue flowers on her spaghetti strapped dress, the mint green leaves. She looked back up to the buttons on the elevator, her hand reaching out to press a button, any button, as long as she got off before she reached the penthouse floor. Her hand was still frozen in mid air when the doors opened, eliciting a groan from her mouth. 

Before she could push the 'close doors' button, Johnny had already rounded the corner, extending his hand for her to take. 

"Good evening Miss Webber." 

Elizabeth noticed her hand trembling, and took the guard's hand so he wouldn't notice. "Nice to see you again Johnny." 

He guided her hand through his bent elbow, leaning over to reassure her. "Relax. Mr. Corinthos isn't that bad. And Mrs. Corinthos? Well, she's Mrs. Corinthos. You'll do fine." He opened the door to announce her, oblivious to the mask of fear on her face. He graced her with a wink, leading her into the penthouse, and then closing the door behind her. 

Sonny emerged from the kitchen at the sound of the door opening. He greeted her warmly, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Welcome to my home." His arm swept out, allowing her to take in her surroundings. 

Her first impression of the penthouse had been short lived, the day he approved of her as a tenant, and hired her as a secretary. Elizabeth barely got a glimpse of what penthouse consisted of. Burgandies, hunter greens, browns. It was dark and comforting. Heavy damask drapes hung from the windows, giant tasseled ropes puling them back. The sectional was piled high with over stuffed pillows, all colored to match their surroundings. And, amidst all the order, all the rich tapestries, there were toys. Air planes, speed boats, and helicopters. Race cars, teddy bears, and children's books. 

Elizabeth turned back to her host, slightly taken aback by his casual demeanor. His hair was slightly disheveled from the steam in the kitchen. He had opened the top two buttons of his dress shirt, and had even rolled up the sleeves to his elbows. He still had the dress pants and wing tip shoes on, but it was the dishtowel in his pants pocket that got her laughing. 

Sonny cocked his head, his dimples playing hide and seek as his lips toyed with the notion of curving into a smile. "What's so funny?" he asked, hands on his hips. When she didn't answer, he looked down and noticed the dishtowel. His smile widened, "It's the dish towel, isn't it?" He nodded, "Yeah, I know. But you see, I'm the only one who cooks around here. Nobody gets in my kitchen without me. And I mean _nobody._"__

"Not even me." 

Elizabeth and Sonny both turned to the voice that came from the top of the stairs, and Sonny crossed the room to greet his wife and son. 

"Elizabeth, I'd like you to meet my wife, Carly Corinthos, and her son, Michael." His hand reached up to ruffle the little boy's red hair. "Carly, this is my new secretary, Elizabeth Webber." He took Michael from Carly so she could shake hands with Elizabeth. 

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Corinthos," Elizabeth greeted with a slight nod. 

Carly instantly put the younger woman at ease, laughing at being called Mrs. Corinthos. "Oh honey, only the help calls me that! You can call me Carly." Her smile lit up the penthouse, her laugh equally infectious. 

Elizabeth blushed slightly, her gaze falling on the squirmy little boy that Sonny was trying to contain. "Mommy!" he cried, his arms stretched to the limits towards his mom. 

"Oh, come here, Mr. Man," she groaned, taking him from Sonny so he could finish dinner. Carly pressed a kiss to Michael's cheek, then pulled back to make sure she didn't get lipstick on him. "Michael? Can you say hi to Elizabeth?" She smoothed the boy's hair, planting another kiss on his head. 

He bowed his head, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "Hi." 

"Hi," Elizabeth replied, her smile warm. "I bet you would rather play with the airplane I saw over there than talk to me, huh?" She pointed in the direction of the couch, laughing when he turned into a worm, sliding out of Carly's grip. "You have a beautiful boy, Mrs. Cor- Carly," she corrected after receiving a playful glare. Both women turned when Sonny returned from the kitchen asking them if they wanted anything to drink. 

Carly asked for a glass of white zinfandel, and Elizabeth asked for a beer. Sonny's eye brow cocked slightly, but he nodded, turning back to the kitchen, only to return a minute later with their drinks, and a scotch for himself. 

Elizabeth took a drink, noticing that Sonny's eyes never left her. "Let me guess. You don't drink a lot of beer?" 

He chuckled, bowing his head at getting caught. "No, actually, I don't. There's only one person whom I associate with who drinks beer. So I keep it on hand just in case. Actually," he glanced at his watch, "He should be here soon." 

Elizabeth was about to ask who when a knock came from the door. All three turned to see who it was.   
  
Johnny walked in, a little startled that everyone's eyes were on him. "Uh, it's Mr. Morgan."   
  
  
  



	13. Chapter 13

Puddle of Grace 13 Elizabeth froze, her lungs ceasing to function when he walked into the penthouse so cool and calm. She was vaguely aware of Michael running towards him, arms out at his sides, yelling. "Uncle Jason!" Her mind registered that he was throwing the little boy up in the air, but her eyes were focused solely on his body. Her eyes started at his feet, a laugh escaping her when she noticed he was only wearing socks. Her eyes travel north, taking in the casual khakis he wore, and the equally as casual white cotton, button down shirt he wore untucked and a third of the way unbuttoned. She couldn't help but dwell on his exposed skin, how golden it seemed next to the stark whiteness of his shirt. _I wonder what it would taste like if I ran my tongue around his..._   
__   
__

"Elizabeth?" 

Her body jerked slightly, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I was lost in thought." She turned away from Jason, missing the wink exchanged between the two men. 

Sonny wrapped an arm around Elizabeth's shoulders. "You and Jason have met, right?" He kept his face impossibly neutral, knowing full well that his secretary knew his best friend. 

Elizabeth nodded and took a long drink of her beer. Her eyes fell on the bottle, shock registering on her face when she realized she had drank the second half of the bottle all at one time. She turned to Sonny, his hand reaching out for the empty bottle. He offered her another one and she accepted. She took the second bottle from him, barely letting him extend his hand towards her, and downed half of it. 

Carly walked up to Elizabeth, gently wrenching her fingers open to take the bottle out of her hand. "Honey? Take it easy. Dinner won't be ready for a little while yet, right Sonny?" She looked to her husband for assistance. 

Sonny nodded, "Dinner won't be ready for another half an hour, but I do have some hors devours, if you're hungry?" 

Elizabeth pressed her lips together, her mind straying to the man behind her who was busy tickling Michael. "Actually, I think I should be going. I don't know why I agreed to come." She turned towards the door, and took a few steps, but was stopped by Sonny's hands on her shoulders. "Mr. Corinthos, please." She tried to pull away, but he had a firm hold on her. 

He turned her around, his hands remaining on her shoulders. "It's Sonny, and you're not leaving." He guided her to the sectional, pushing her down into the soft cushions. "Let me go get the hors devours, I'll be right back." He motioned for Carly to watch her while he disappeared into the kitchen. 

Carly plopped down on the couch next to Elizabeth, glancing over her shoulder and Jason and Michael to make sure they were out of earshot. "He's not bad, huh?" Her smile widened at Elizabeth's obvious discomfort. "It's ok, I won't say anything." 

Elizabeth stared at the woman, then back at Jason. "Yeah, he's not bad at all." She finally exhaled, a nervous laugh erupting from her lips. Her body relaxed with the realization that she could possibly trust Carly. "He is. . . something else." 

Carly nodded, "That he is." She placed her hand on Elizabeth's knee. "And he's painfully single." She studied Elizabeth, measuring her up while Elizabeth watched Jason with Michael. "Elizabeth?" 

Elizabeth whipped her head around, painfully aware that she'd drifted off again. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?" 

Carly chuckled, and was about to repeat what she said when Sonny came out with a tray of breaded calamari and marinara sauce. He set it down on the large ottoman, passing out plates to everybody, leaving one on the couch next to Elizabeth for Jason. 

Sonny sat down next to Carly, wrapping his arm around her so he could grab the calamari off of her plate. "So Elizabeth," his eyes followed Jason as he let Leticia take him upstairs so he could sit with the adults. "Did you get some sleep like I told you to?" He kept his face completely neutral while her face turned a new shade of red. 

Elizabeth stiffened slightly when Jason's knee brushed against hers while he reached for some calamari. She quickly recovered, sitting up a little straighter, forcing herself to ignore the man sitting much too close for her comfort. "Yes actually, as soon as I walked into the apartment, I collapsed on my bed." She took a dainty bite of the calamari, unsure if she would like it. 

Sonny nodded while he swallowed. "Good, I'm glad. Don't do that again, ok? Nothing is more important than your health." 

Elizabeth watched Sonny take a piece of the calamari, dip it into the marinara sauce, and hold it in front of Carly's mouth for her to eat. She opened her mouth, waiting for him to give it to her. When he didn't, she leaned forward to take it between her teeth, only to be denied when Sonny pulled it away. They played like this for a couple of seconds before Carly finally grabbed Sonny's wrist to hold his hand in place. Elizabeth could feel the love radiating from them, and wondered if she would ever find a love like that. 

She turned her head slightly to look at Jason out of the corner of her eye. He was completely oblivious to the couple's antics, his eyes trained on the french doors, and the balcony just beyond them. Elizabeth stood up suddenly, startling her hosts. "I think I need some fresh air. Do you mind?" She pointed in the direction of the balcony, waiting until Sonny nodded before placing her plate on the ottoman to step outside. 

The cool air hit her face like a brick wall, instantly cooling down her flushed face. Goose bumps crawled up her bare arms, forcing her to cross her arms over her chest, her hands rubbing her upper arms to warm herself up. She closed her eyes, her mind conjuring up the image of Jason throwing the little boy into the air. With his sleeves rolled up to the elbow, just like Sonny's, she could see his corded muscles strain, catching and releasing the toddler. A shiver ripped through her as she imagined those powerful arms around her. 

"Are you cold?" 

Elizabeth spun around, her eyes flying open to lock eyes with Jason's baby blues. "Yeah, it is a little chilly I guess." She moved to return to the penthouse, but was stopped when she noticed his fingers unbuttoning his shirt. He shrugged it off casually, unrolling the sleeves, and held it open for her to slip her arms through. 

Elizabeth forced her eyes to remain on his face, hesitant to take what he offered. "Won't you be cold?" He merely nodded, walking around her to slip his shirt over her shoulders. 

She reluctantly slipped her arms through the sleeves, the cotton baby soft against her skin. She didn't button it, instead wrapping her arms back around herself, her fingertips barely peeking through the sleeves. She was instantly submerged in his scent, the hint of minty after shave, but under that, something more. Something male. Raw and heated. And completely irresistible. Her nose was flooded with it, her body consumed by it. Her tongue wanted to taste it, taste _him_. 

He stood directly behind her, careful not to touch her, and scanned the twinkling lights below. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" He looked down at her head, the soft curls of her hair. He knew they would be soft, and oh so sweet. She swayed back a little bit, and her hair brushed gently against his bare torso. _Oh yeah._

She nodded, her teeth caught on her bottom lip. "I wonder if he'd let me paint it." She said this quietly, more to herself than to him, but he caught it. 

"You paint?" He couldn't believe that the girl he met in the bar these past couple of nights was an artist. 

She inhaled deeply, the fresh air felt good in her lungs. "Yeah, from time to time. Nothing spectacular. Just as a release, I guess you could say." She turned around, spooked that he was so close, but didn't back away. "Kind of like the way you ride your motorcycle." Her eyes dragged up his hard chest to meet his pale eyes. 

Her breath was hot against his skin, her low voice a caress, wrapping around him like a tendril of smoke. "And how would you know about that?" His eyebrow arched slightly, realizing her mistake a second before she did. 

Her eyes widened for a split second, realization blaring in her head. "Um, I've seen you, around town." She spun on her heel, turning back to the lights below, silently cursing herself. 

His grin was smug, but he let her mistake slide for now. "Would you show me your paintings some time?" 

They stood there for a moment, Jason waiting, Elizabeth debating. Just when she was about to extend the invitation, Sonny came out to announce that dinner was ready. 

His eyes darted between his shirtless friend and his secretary, wearing said shirt. "Are you guys ready?" 

Elizabeth nodded furiously, shrugging Jason's shirt off before going inside. She caught Carly's curious glance, but didn't say anything. "Where should I sit?" she looked over the table, her mouth water at the delicious smells. 

Carly motioned to the chair across from her, "Just go ahead and sit there." She watched the young girl, amused at her unabashed interest in Jason. "So Elizabeth, tell me about yourself." She was going to need to know all about her new friend in order to get her together with Jason. 

Sonny and Jason approached the table, Sonny choosing the seat next to Carly. "Yeah Elizabeth. Carly brings up an interesting subject. I know hardly anything about you." That statement was as far from the truth as humanly possible, considering Sonny performed extensive background on all of his potential employees. But he wanted to hear it from her, and hopefully it would put her more at ease. 

Elizabeth sighed as Jason took the seat next to her, his eyes sparkling. _This was going to be a _long_ night._   



	14. Chapter 14

Puddle of Grace 14 Elizabeth loosened up considerably as the dinner wore on. She gave them the scant details of her life, just the things they needed to know to keep them satisfied. She was painfully aware of Jason's eyes on her, and she wondered if he remembered her talking about this just barely twenty four hours ago. She soon forgot about that as she discussed school and her plans for the future. 

For the most part, she was able to get past the fact that she was sitting next to possibly the sexiest man she'd ever seen. But then he would ask for the pasta, or the garlic bread, and their finger tips would brush. For her, it was electric, perfect, and oh so dangerous. 

For him, it was better than nothing. He could see her trepidation, and decided to cool off, let her get used to him. He could do that, for now. 

After Sonny cleared the table, they all sat around it, talking about Port Charles, pointing out things Elizabeth should see and do. Places to get a good cup of coffee. Luke's, the best blues bar in town. The best bar period. 

Somehow the conversation drifted towards the hospital, and the annual Nurse's Ball, which was taking place in just a few days. 

Elizabeth asked about the Ball, why it was held, what it was about. 

Sonny looked over her head at Jason, who was watching Elizabeth, a content smile on his lips. "The Nurse's Ball benefits AIDS research. People who work, even people who _don't_ work at the hospital perform skits. There's an orchestra to fill time in between the sketches." He shifted in his chair, scooting closer to Carly so he could pull her to him. "People buy tables to sit at, and all the money goes to AIDS research." He wrapped his arm around Carly's shoulders, and she reached up to lace her fingers with his. He pressed a kiss to her temple. His eyes focused on Elizabeth's, "You know, you should come with us. It's the perfect place to meet everybody in Port Charles, because everybody's there." 

She smiled from ear to ear, "Of course I'll come. It sounds like fun." 

"Good." He turned to Jason, "Now you have a date." His cocoa tinted eyes glinted in satisfaction. 

Elizabeth's head jerked in Jason's direction. "What? Wait a second." 

Jason's eyebrow arched, "Is there a problem Elizabeth? A reason you can't be seen with me?" It took every last ounce of self control to stop the smile from spreading across his face. Instead he looked hurt, insulted, and rejected. 

"Well, I- I-" she sighed, swayed by the wounded look on his face. "No, there's no reason. I would love to go." Her eyes locked on Jason's, and something flickered in them, something Elizabeth couldn't decipher. 

Sonny clapped his hands, jolting the two out of their trance. "Great. You do have something to wear, right? It's a formal, evening gown type shin-dig. If you don't, Carly can take you to Wyndham's, right Carly?" he nudged his wife, unaware that she was getting sleepy. 

At the mention of shopping though, Carly perked right up. "Sure I can help. We'll go tomorrow, right after you get off of work, ok? Maybe even go out to dinner, just us girls." She winked at Elizabeth, the questions already forming in her mind. Carly yawned then, the drowsiness swiftly returning. "I'm sorry guys, but if you'll excuse me, I have a business meeting for Deception tomorrow." She stood up, rounding the table to give Elizabeth a hug. "It was nice to meet you sweetie. Don't forget, tomorrow after work." 

She leaned past Elizabeth to hug Jason and give him a kiss on the cheek. "Say Jason, why don't you walk Elizabeth back to her apartment?" She winked at Elizabeth again, causing the younger woman to blush. 

"That's alright Carly, I only live a short elevator ride down." She moved away from Jason towards the door, but Sonny caught her elbow. 

"If you don't let Jason walk you, I'll send Johnny with you." His eyes challenged her, yet remained warm and friendly. 

She sighed again, asking herself for the millionth time why she agreed to come here tonight. "Jason it is." She waited by the door, watching him and Sonny talk in low voices for a moment before he approached her, placing his hand on her back while he opened the door. 

It didn't take long for the elevator to arrive, and once they were on, Elizabeth made sure to keep a gap of space between them while her eyes studied the floor. 

She lifted her head up, a small smile on her face. "Tell me something." 

He looked at her. "Yes?" 

"Why socks?" 

He laughed out loud, wriggling his toes. "I only have two pairs of shoes. My motorcycle boots, and the shoes I use when I wear a tuxedo. Neither was quite appropriate to wear tonight." 

She nodded in agreement, "Two pairs of shoes huh? Mr. Fashion Plate you are not." 

They both chuckled as the elevator doors opened. His hand returned to the small of her back, and he noticed just how thin the material of her dress was. 

She could barely feel his hand on her back, yet the air around them slowly started to sizzle. Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief when they reached her door. Before she could slip the key into the lock, she felt his hands fall on her shoulders and turn her around. Her eyes fluttered, focusing on his bellybutton so she wouldn't be forced to look at his beautiful face. 

Jason was having none of it. He cupped her chin, gently pushing it up, not quite forcing her to look at him, but not releasing the pressure either. "I'm glad you came tonight. It was nice to finally meet you, get to know you." His eyes glistened, his voice low and rich. "Did you have a good time?" His hand drifted to her forehead to push a stray hair out of her eyes. He let his finger tips trail down the side of her face, feather light. 

Her eyes closed against the sensation, her mind swirling. "Yes, I had a wonderful time." Her head leaned slightly to the left, reacting instinctually to his touch. 

"Did you? Really?" He let his hand cup her face, his thumb stroking just below her lips. 

"Yes Jason, I-" Her voice caught when his thumb brushed her lip. She could feel his breath, warm and wet on her face, and she was afraid to open her eyes. 

He leaned in further, his cheek brushing hers as he whispered into her ear. "Open your eyes, Elizabeth." His hand had moved from her face to her hair, combing it back from her face. He pulled back slightly to look at her, a slow smile forming when her eyes finally opened. 

Her breath caught when her eyes locked onto his, so close, so utterly blue. "Jason I- I can't." Her words said I can't, yet her eyes and body said differently. Her hand went up to his face, to his cheek. 

He could feel the electricity pulse through her, through him. "You can't what?" He watched her tongue dart out to wet her lips, and it nearly broke his self restraint. He hadn't noticed her left hand behind her, hadn't heard the key slide into the lock, the tumblers click until she turned the knob. 

She pressed a kiss to her fingers, then touched her hand to his cheek. "Good night, Jason." Her eyes never left his as she backed into her apartment and closed the door. 

He straightened, a cocky smile gracing his lips. He knew she wanted him, and he could wait. 

_Until the Nurse's Ball._


	15. Chapter 15

Puddle of Grace15 Sonny was just finishing up washing the dishes when he heard Johnny announce Alexis at the door. He wiped his hands off before going to greet her. As soon as he walked into the room, she came unglued. 

"Sonny, I'm sorry. I know, I should be more patient, but I can't. This is eating me alive inside." She paced the room, still in her tan suit, her long coat billowing out behind her. Her hands whipped around, her mind too busy trying to keep up to notice Sonny's huge grin and deepening dimples. 

He approached her carefully, as if she were a fragile champagne flute, delicate and easily breakable. "Alexis, Alexis. Calm down." He held her wrists gently, transferring his serene attitude from his to hers. Propelling her towards the door, he let go long enough to turn the knob, and then pushed her out the door before him. He nodded towards her penthouse door, letting Johnny know where they would be in case Carly woke up. 

He repeated her name again, his voice stronger, snapping her out of her babbling spell. Satisfied that she was done, he smiled. "I was going to come over tonight anyway. It's ok. Calm down, all right?" Placing his hands on her shoulders, he guided her to the sofa, pushing her enough for her knees to bend. When she sunk down into the couch, he came around it and sat in front of her, on the coffee table. 

She sighed heavily, the stress rolling off her in waves. "I'm sorry. Ned just- he won't give up." Her brown eyes locked onto Sonny's, only giving him a mere glimpse of the pain she was enduring. She dropped her face into hands, her laugh rough and staccato. "So what did you need?" 

He pulled her hands from her face, gently sweeping away the hair away. "It's ok to breakdown once in awhile." 

"I know." Her voice was low, her eyelids heavy from sadness and exhaustion. "You said you were going to come over anyway?" 

Sonny cleared his throat, keeping his hand on her knee. "This Jamie guy, do you have a picture of him? We could run that, maybe come up with something." 

His eyes followed her as she stood up from the couch to make her way over to the front closet. She reached up to the top shelf to bring down the heavy box. Kicking the door closed behind her, she returned to the couch, setting the box on the table next to Sonny. She opened it, her hands trembling slightly as she reached in. Sonny watched her unlatch the false bottom and pull out a pair of pictures. 

Her eyes watered slightly, her mind bringing her twenty one years into the past. She turned the first one around and handed it to Sonny. "This is Jamie and I right before I got pregnant." 

Sonny studied the picture carefully, his focus more on Alexis than on the man in the picture. "You sure haven't changed much," he teased. Her hair was a little longer in the picture, her face a little more round, but other than that, she looked the same. 

She swatted at his knee, turning the other picture for him to look at. "This is the same night. We were at a beach bonfire." She clasped her slender hands together, leaning over her crossed legs to observe Sonny's reaction. 

Sonny's eyebrows creased with concentration. The man in the picture looked hauntingly familiar. His dark hair was kept short, about the same length as Jason's, and spiked in a similar fashion. His eyes looked like black marbles, beady and vicious. A goatee hid his chin. His skin tone was slightly lighter than Sonny's, but his body hair was just as dark. The man in the picture only wore a pair of swim trunks that grazed his kneecaps. With one hand in his pocket, he leaned against a tree with the other. 

He flitted the photograph between his thumb and first finger. "Ok, this might work. It will take a little longer, but hopefully this will work." He stood up, his mind flipping through the mental rolodex of faces he stored away. Jamie Masters wasn't among them, but he _looked_ like one of them. Not too much, but enough so that it gave Sonny the chills. 

His eyes finally fell on her slumped form, and he grinned. Carefully, he reached over to take the blanket from the back of the couch to unfold it and cover her with it. Then he closed the box, hefting it's weight, to place it back on the shelf in the closet. He turned once to make sure she was still asleep before he exited the penthouse, turning off the lights behind him.   



	16. Chapter 16

Puddle of Grace 16 Elizabeth's fingers drummed impatiently on the desk, the phone caught between her ear and her shoulder. She swore if she heard that gum snap one more time. "Look, I'm sure Mr. Corinthos has the contracts. They've probably just been waylaid." 

Her eyes glanced over her desk at the sound of the elevator bell. She was relieved to see it was Carly and not Jason. Elizabeth's eyes dropped back down, landing on the two silver colored roses that now stood in the vase. She let her fingers touch the petals while her mind tried to figure out who left them on her desk, let alone why. 

Elizabeth heaved a sigh, grasping the telephone in her hand to straighten out her sore neck. "Look Miss Wilson, I know Mr. Corinthos got them. Yes, I saw them with my own eyes." She paused while the woman on the other end talked. "No Miss Wilson, he's not in. Yes, I will leave him a message. Ok, good bye." She let out a low growl while straightening up the remaining papers on her desk. 

Carly reached the desk, slapping her hand on it to get Elizabeth's attention. "Are we ready?" 

"Just let me get my purse." Elizabeth pulled open the drawer, only to be startled when Carly gasped. "What? What's wrong?" She looked up to see her new found friend smiling like a school girl. 

"Who gave you the roses?" She reached over, taking the vase in her hand to bring the flowers to her nose. "Oh wow, they smell beautiful! Ok, who gave them to you?" She set them back down on the desk as Elizabeth stood up. 

The smaller woman shrugged, "I don't know. They were just here." She walked with Carly down the hall to the elevator, keeping her suspicions to herself. 

Carly just laughed, knowing full well it had been Jason who left those roses. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 

Elizabeth dropped down into the straight backed chair, huffing in exasperation. She must've tried fifteen different dresses on already, and not one was right. This one was to long, that one was too short. Too dark. Too light. Too frilly. Too plain. "I'm never going to find a dress," she muttered to herself. 

She checked her watch, balked at the hour and a half that had passed since they got to Wyndam's. It was definitely an experience though, shopping with Carly. At least the fashion coordinators were kind, coming out of the background only when necessary; to bring Elizabeth and Carly tea and coffee, to find a different sized dress, or to return another monstrosity to it's rack. Elizabeth sighed again, scanning the floor for Carly, when she heard a loud scream, followed by her name. 

"Elizabeth! This is it!" Carly came rushing through the maze of clothes, her hair streaming behind her in a ribbon of reddish gold silk. 

Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh at her new friend's attitude. "Calm down Carly," she suggested, taking the dress from her. Holding it up in front of her, Elizabeth studied it, her teeth chewing on her lip. "Carly, this is the last dress I'm trying on. If this isn't it, I'm just not going." She shrugged, waiting for the older woman to answer. 

"That's fine Elizabeth, because this is it. So go, shoo!" She guided Elizabeth into the dressing room, and closed the door behind her. 

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile as she walked out, swinging her hips a little, to show off her dress. "You're right Carly, this is it." She did a twirl, holding her palms up to the sky, her smile stretching from ear to ear. 

Carly stood up to guide Elizabeth to the three paneled mirror. She pulled Elizabeth's curly locks back and whispered into her ear. "Jason isn't going to know what hit him." 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 

Elizabeth couldn't get over Carly's vivacious attitude, how utterly exhausting it could be. She watched the woman, waiting for her to tire out, but she never did. Sure, Elizabeth was as upbeat as the next person, but Carly was like a typhoon, wild and wreckless. All Elizabeth could do was try and stay one step behind the destruction. 

Eating dinner at the Port Charles Grille with Carly, Elizabeth got a synopsis on all the 'it' people, most of whom Elizabeth would be meeting at the Nurse's Ball the next night. Carly made sure to point out everybody, from Ned Ashton and Chloe Morgan to the Quartermaine's newest illegitimate child, Skye Chandler. 

Each table had it's own history. There was Nikolas Cassadine and his girlfriend, model, Gia Campbell. Carly explained about Nik's half brother, Lucky, being brainwashed by Nik's grandmother Helena. Lucky brain couldn't handle the overload, so he ended up jumping off the roof of General Hospital. 

Carly pointed to a table near the terrace where Jax and Kimberly Jacks were sharing dinner. Carly's eyes shrunk to slits as she recounted the tale of Jax and Brenda, how she plunged off a bridge to her death. Only Jax found evidence of Brenda's existence, and left his then girlfriend Chloe to go find Brenda. 

After an exhaustive search, Jax gave up hope. He stopped in France before returning to Port Charles. It was there that he met and married Kimberly. It was rumored that one night, they were playing a game, who could out last the other. Jax finally succumbed, taking Kim right there, on that table. Thankfully, the Grille was almost empty, but that didn't stop the employees from enjoying the show. 

Elizabeth nearly spit out her beer at that last story, her mouth barely able to stay closed as the cold ale slid down her throat. "So let me guess, that's their table?" 

Carly nodded, "After that, who would want to sit there?!" Carly winked, downing the last of her wine. Her eyes roamed the table, her hands patting her full stomach. "So you're going to come over tomorrow night, right after work? Seriously, I want to help. Not that you need any, but I want to." She sighed and leaned back in her chair. "It's been a long time since I've had a close girlfriend. I'd forgotten how much I missed that." She smiled, a sincere smile. "Check please!" she hollered as the waiter walked past the table. 

Elizabeth stood up then, stretching her legs, and nearly knocked someone over. "Excuse me!" she said, looking to see who she bumped into. She found herself looking into a pair of startling gray eyes, the color of liquid mercury. "I'm sorry, I should watch where I'm going." 

The owner of the eyes dusted off his coat and chuckled, "That's quite all right Miss..?" He held his hand out to her. 

"Elizabeth Webber." She gave him a warm smile, her eyes memorizing his face. From the russet brown color of his hair, to his even teeth. He towered over her, intimidating her slightly. It vaguely registered in her mind that she hadn't yet let go of his hand, when Carly grabbed her arm and yanked her away. 

"Mick, Mick, Mick." Carly bounced slightly with the two steps it took to close the distance between them. "What do you want Mick?" Her eyes narrowed to slits, her nostrils flaring slightly as her breath rushed in and out of her lungs. 

The man chuckled, "Now, now, Mrs. Corinthos. This is one of the better places in Port Charles to have dinner. Is that a crime?"   
  
Elizabeth noticed the thick ring on his pinky finger, the way the onyx stone gleamed in the lights. She drew her eyes up, her hair standing on end as she registered the look the man was giving Carly, vicious and predatory. 

"Carly, let's go. I'm ok." She tugged on the woman's arm, urging her to leave. Having spoken up, Elizabeth once again caught the man's attention. 

"Miss Webber, I'm so sorry Mrs. Corinthos here didn't properly introduce us." He held out his hand again, but this time Elizabeth refused it. He shrugged slightly, a smirk on his face. "I'm Mitchell Mendoza, but you can call me Mick." The words seemed to ooze out of his mouth like molten lava, giving Elizabeth a severe case of goose bumps. 

She pulled on Carly again, grabbing their purses from the table. "I wish I could say it was nice to meet you, Mr. Mendoza, but then I'd be lying." 

Carly chuffed at the remark and patted Mick on the stomach before they left. 

Once they were in the limousine, Elizabeth asked Carly what that was all about. 

Carly just waved her hand in the air, "Oh nothing, he's just trying to horn in on Sonny's business." She failed to mention that it wasn't coffee business he was after. 


	17. Chapter 17

Puddle of Grace 17 Carly insisted that Elizabeth wear her hair up in a french twist to emphasize the graceful slope of her neck, leaving a few tendrils to hang loose at the base. Then Carly sifted through the cosmetics on her vanity, searching for the right color combination. Finding it, she brushed a light coat of french vanilla eye shadow on her lids, with a hint of moonlight silver mascara on her lashes. Standing back with her hand on her hip, Carly decided to skip the lipstick and blush; Elizabeth's natural colors were just fine. For a final touch, she sprinkled gold dust on Elizabeth's exposed skin, adding to the illusion that her skin glowed. 

Elizabeth turned this way and that, scrutinizing her image in the mirror, checking for any flaws. She had to admit the black off the shoulder dress clung exactly where it was supposed to. The ankle length dress even had sparkles in it and, as she turned, it shimmered under the lights. Her feet were encased in one inch high heels, and they glittered along with the dress. 

Satisfied that there was nothing wrong, Elizabeth picked up her matching black, see through wrap, and made her way to the stairs. She had heard the penthouse door open and close just a few minutes ago, signaling Jason's arrival, and wanted to get a peek before she went downstairs. Carefully, she approached the top of the stairs, peeking around the wall to see where Jason was. Her breath caught in her throat as she located him, with Sonny and Carly, waiting near the dining table. 

His tuxedo fit him perfectly, showing off his broad shoulders and narrow hips. He skipped the tie, and left the top button unbuttoned, like he did the other night, but he had the stark white shirt neatly tucked into his pants. He kept pulling at the cuffs of his jacket, twitching against the formal wear. He hadn't shaved and there was a slight stubble on his face, giving his already gorgeous features a dangerous sexual quality that she felt even from the stairs. 

He heard her giggle and looked up at her, his eyes piercing hers where she stood. She sucked in a breath, and tried to remember how to breathe as she felt the weight of his gaze fall upon her, waiting for her to descend the stairs. 

Nobody moved, nobody spoke. Time stood still while he took in the sight of her as she stepped away from the wall. For him, everything melted away except for her and him. In that instant, he knew he would never meet another woman like her; elegant when necessary, yet wild and reckless too. He felt someone poke him in the back, urging him to say something, anything. His mind searched for the words while Elizabeth floated down the stairs. 

"You look... " There was no word for the way she looked. "Breath taking." 

She bowed her head, hiding the blush that crept into her cheeks. "Thank you." 

Being the only one in the room able to fully breathe, or even think, Carly grabbed her purse from the table. "Are we ready to go? Johnny!" 

The guard opened the door, fastening the second cufflink to his tux. "Deborah, Francis and Deanna are all down at the limo, if you're ready Mr. Corinthos?" 

Sonny nodded as he slipped on his tuxedo jacket. "I think so?" He looked at his wife. "Have I told you how beautiful you are?" he asked, his dimples emerging. 

"Not today," she joked, taking the elbow he offered. 

Jason looked to Elizabeth with a grin, and bent his own arm, "Shall we?" 

She took a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves and shifted her wrap to take his arm. "I think so." 

Her hand barely weighed anything on his arm and he couldn't help but smile. He knew it was so she could flee if necessary. When he covered her hand with his, her head whipped around to look at him. 

"It's ok. Nothing's going to happen, I promise." 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 

Elizabeth surveyed the table, grateful that Carly was sitting next to her to help keep her calm. Every time Jason raised his fork to his mouth, his elbow brushed hers, sending a surge of electricity throughout her body. She couldn't help but peek at him from time to time out of the corner of her eye, her fingers itching to trace the square line of his jaw. She imagined her lips against his tan skin and wondered what it would taste like. 

She did watch the skits from time to time, and looked up now to see Ned Ashton and A.J. Quartermaine finishing up their rendition of "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better." She laughed politely along with the rest of the crowd, not really understanding why it was so humorous. 

Jason stretched while the servers came to take away their plates, his arms and back feeling stiff from having to sit properly, and in a tuxedo no less! He couldn't keep himself from stealing looks of Elizabeth, his eyes caressing her more boldly than his hands dared. Her whole body glittered under the dim lights, and he wondered to himself if the skin underneath the dress sparkled as well. 

His thoughts were briefly interrupted by the round of applause for Ned and A.J. and he watched while Lucy Coe came out to announce the slight intermission in the festivities. His ears picked up the beginning strains of music and his eyes scanned the room until they landed on the sharply dressed dj, obviously hired to play during the intermissions. His gaze traveled back to Elizabeth, who was in deep conversation with Carly. What they were talking about didn't matter, as long as he could steal a glimpse of her every now and again. 

His attention was drawn upward as Sonny and Johnny returned from saying 'hi' to Laura Spencer. Sonny was grinning from ear to ear, his dimples cutting deep into his cheeks while all his attention was focused on his wife. Approaching his oblivious date, he tapped her on the shoulder and, when she turned around, held out his hand to her; a silent invitation for a dance. 

She readily accepted, placing her hand in his, and let herself be led to the dance floor, turning around once to shoot Elizabeth a knowing wink. Elizabeth smiled in return, watching until they disappeared into the crowd. She noticed Johnny and Deborah not far behind them. Clearing her throat, she noticed her empty wine glass. "Wish they had some beer here," she mumbled. 

Jason tried to surpress a laugh, but failed. He had noticed her fidgeting, and wondered if she hated to be here as much as he did. 

"So..." Elizabeth turned to Jason while Francis and Deanna left for the dance floor as well. "Let me guess, you don't dance?" Her hands gave away the nervousness she felt in the pit of her stomach from being alone with him; they were restless, constantly running themselves over her dress, smoothing out the invisible wrinkles. 

He shook his head, "Sorry." 

Her laugh was staccato, another sign of her unease. "That's ok, I'm not the world's greatest either." 

His eyebrow arched, his mind bringing him back to the night they all had dinner at Sonny's. She had moved so gracefully, even though she had been slightly under pressure. Jason was sure she was a great dancer, she probably just didn't want him to feel obligated to dance with her. In truth, that was the one thing he wanted to do most, to be able to hold her to him and let his fingertips skim over her bare shoulder. 

Elizabeth noticed the fire in his clear blue eyes and placed a hand on his arm. "Is everything ok?" Small worry lines formed around her eyes and mouth, her eyes boring into his for information. 

He shook his head of his thoughts, "Yeah. Everything's fine." He looked to the dance floor and then around the whole room, his shoulders rolling, trying to shuck off the stiff tuxedo jacket. Leaning a little closer, he held out his hand. "Do you want to get out of here for a second?" 

Her eyes dropped to his offered hand, her teeth catching on her bottom lip. Slipping her tiny hand into his, she waited until he rose before doing the same, and followed him to the terrace. 

The trees around the hospital had been decorated for the occasion with small white lights -- thousands of them. Elizabeth felt like she was in a fairy tale. Never had she been to a function as fancy as this. The only "ball" that she had attended was her senior prom, and the experience paled in comparison to this. 

Jason let her walk to the railing, watching her shimmer beneath the lights. She could've been a dream, an apparition. But no, she was there; smiling like a child on Christmas morning, her head tilted back to observe the stars. He did the same, and wondered what she found so interesting about some large balls of gas billions of miles away. Hearing the music of her laughter, his head came back down, his eyes falling on her radiant face. 

"This is just so magical." Holding her hands out to her sides, she did a slow turn, her face still upturned to the sky. 

Jason shook his head, "Why?" 

She stopped, faced him. Her arms dropped down to her sides, a sad smile forming on her face. "You know, I don't know why." She turned back to the inky blackness beyond the trees. Approaching the railing, she leaned over, watched the people mill about below her and took a deep breath. 

Elizabeth stiffened slightly when she heard the muted clicks of his shoes on the cement. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, his scent wrapping around her like a soft cotton blanket; spice and leather. Always leather. She never thought the smell of leather could be so intoxicating, but it was; thick and heady, invading her head, her thoughts. Her heart. 

She turned her head to the side and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Why do you come?" 

His hands found the pockets of his pants and he shrugged. "Sonny asks me to, so I go. There's nothing else I would've done tonight. 

She nodded, more out of politeness than understanding, and turned to him, leaning her hip against the railing.. "But you're obviously uncomfortable. You can barely stand the jacket, let alone the scratchy pants and stiff shoes. Is he really worth it?" Her arms crossed in front of her chest and she shivered when a small breeze blew by. 

He focused on a star, her question rolling through his mind. "Do you want to get out of here?" he asked suddenly, his eyes falling back to hers, as blue and clear as she had ever seen them. 

Elizabeth froze, that had not been the answer she expected. "I... well.." She shrugged, pulling her wrap tighter around her shoulders. The wind whipped around her again, causing her dress to flutter at her feet. Her hand absently pushed a loose lock of hair from her face. She studied him from head to toe, as if seeing him for the first time. "Sure. Let's go." 

Jason let out a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding. Offering her his elbow, he led her back to their table to let the group know they were leaving. 

"I'll have Anthony drop us off at the Towers, then turn right back around, ok?" 

Sonny nodded at Jason's suggestion, and turned to Elizabeth. "I was hoping I'd get to share a dance with you tonight," he flirted, his dimples emerging. 

Elizabeth blushed slightly, bowing her head, and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. 

He was careful with her, keeping a slight distance between them so she would feel comfortable. "Having a good time?" 

She nodded, her blue eyes sparkling, "Oh this is wonderful! I've never been to something like this before." She giggled as he raised her arm up and spun her around. 

"So you're glad you came?" 

"Yes, Mr. Cor- Sonny," she corrected when he shot her a firm look. "Thank you for asking me to come along." 

He graced her with another smile, a flash of his dimples, "Then why are you leaving early?" 

She stiffened and looked into his eyes, relaxing when she found only twin brown pools of friendship. "Jason asked if I wanted to leave." She shrugged, "I said sure. Besides, I don't really get the whole thing. Probably because I don't know the town too well. There will be another one, right?" 

Sonny's chuckle stuck in his throat, "Yes, Elizabeth, there will be another one, same time next year." 

"Good, then maybe I can volunteer some time for that one." 

"I'm sure they would appreciate that," he responded, offering her his elbow as the final strains of the song ended. When they neared the table, Jason stood up, his eyes focused intently on Elizabeth. 

"I think now would be a good time to leave, before the intermission is over?" 

Elizabeth agreed, giving Sonny a kiss on the cheek before turning to Carly and hugging her new friend. As she pulled away, Elizabeth could've sworn that her boss' cheeks were turning a light shade of pink underneath his olive toned skin. "Thank you both for inviting me tonight. And Carly, for helping me pick out this amazing dress." She hugged the woman again, then took Jason's outstretched hand to follow him to the garage. 


	18. Chapter 18

Puddle of Grace 18 Elizabeth opened the door to her apartment, everything inside of her humming at the thought of allowing Jason inside. It had started during in the limo ride back to the Towers. She silently debated with herself whether or not to let him in, but in the end, her heart beat out her head. 

Peeling her shoes off, she half limped, half jogged down the hallway. "Make yourself at home, I'll just be a minute," she called to him over her shoulder. 

Jason nodded, not really hearing her. Throwing his tuxedo jacket onto the back of a well used navy blue chair. His eyes scanned the cluttered room, taking in the litter of half empty boxes, folded easels and bare canvas frames. Sweeping his gaze to the left, he found the pile of canvas material and the staple gun she used to fasten the material to the frames. Venturing further to the left, he found the kitchen. Or what he _thought_ was the kitchen. The sink was full of dirty dishes, a half empty box of Honey Smacks lay on it's side on the counter, and a blender sat on it's stand, a dark, crusty ring forming inside of it. He shook his head, wondering how she could be so organized at the warehouse, yet so cluttered in her home. 

His eyes were dragged down the hall to her shadow bobbing along the wall opposite of her bedroom. A second later, she came sauntering out dressed in a pair of black faded jeans and a sapphire colored sweater that deepened the shade of her eyes. He smiled when he noticed her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, her chestnut curls bobbing with every step she took. 

"Do you think the sweater will be warm enough? I still can't find my coat." She held her arms out the her sides, acknowledging the mess at their feet. 

His chuckle washed over her like a warm summer rain, "If not, we can grab an extra jacket from my penthouse." He rocked on the balls of his feet. "I wanted to go up there anyway and get out of these clothes." 

Her smile fell a notch at the thought of him in jeans. Taking in the rolled up sleeves of his shirt, the way his pants slung low on his hips - even with a belt - and the way the pants accentuated his butt, she knew it would be uncomfortable for him on his bike in those clothes. Still, she couldn't help wanting to unbutton each of those onyx buttons, revealing his golden skin underneath the starched shirt. Her tongue swirling around his belly but-- 

"Elizabeth?" 

Her eyes jumped back to his face and her smile widened instantly, a light blush stained her cheeks. "Yes?" 

His smile was slow, knowing. He had noticed her eyes were focused on the patch of bare skin his partially unbuttoned shirt revealed. "Are you ready?" Walking towards the door, he opened it, holding out his hand, waiting for her to go first. 

Her eyes skipped around the apartment, her blush deepening when she realized what a shambles it was in. She headed out the door, grabbing the keys from the table before Jason followed her. 

They were silent during the elevator ride up to his floor, and stayed that way until he came down the stairs from his bedroom, looking just as sexy in a black short sleeved tee shirt and well worn blue jeans as he did in a tuxedo. If anything, he looked better because he was more relaxed. His smile was less forced and his eyes twinkled at the thought of going out on his bike again. 

Little did Elizabeth know that the twinkle in his eye was mainly from the idea that her slim arms would soon be wrapped around his waist, her body pressed against his as they raced through Port Charles on his bike. 

He headed for the closet to grab his leather jacket. Tossing it to Elizabeth, he grabbed his keys and again opened the door for her, waiting for her to exit first. 

She looked at the jacket and then to him in his short sleeves and handed it back to him. "You'll need this more than I will." Walking out, she gave him no room to argue. 

He watched her from the door of his penthouse; the bouncing pony tail, the determined stiffness in her back, the distinct sway of her hips, the way her jeans hugged the curve of her bottom. A quiet groan escaped his lips as he pulled the door shut behind him. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 

They drove for an hour, seemingly going nowhere. As soon as they left the city behind, Jason sped up, the trees around the a hunter green blur out of the corners of their eyes. 

Elizabeth pressed herself into his back, silently cursing herself for not taking his jacket, at least for the ride. She might as well have ridden shirtless with the wind ripping through her the way it was. She'd be lucky if she didn't catch pneumonia. 

She felt it when he began slowing down, noticed when the trees started to separate. She had no idea where they were, but the adrenaline was flowing freely through her veins from the bike ride. They could've flown to Mars and Elizabeth wouldn't have cared. She focused on their surroundings while Jason pulled off the main highway onto a dirt road. The trees surrounded them instantly, isolating them from the rest of the world. The only light that shone was the headlight of the motorcycle. 

Jason proceeded slowly, ducking a low branch here and there, until the road began to widen. Pulling to the right, he stopped the bike, kicked the kick stand down, and waited for Elizabeth to get off. 

He smirked when she stepped in front of him, teeth chattering body trembling from the cold. It may have been June, but you wouldn't have guessed it from the night's temperature. Still, he had to admire her stubbornness. She wouldn't ask for his coat, and even turned to walk away from him so he wouldn't see her shaking. 

"Where are we?" she asked without turning around. 

He followed her down the gravel path, slipping his coat off to put on her shoulders. He grinned when she slipped her arms into the sleeves, like it was the most natural thing in the world for her to do. "This is a place I like to go that nobody knows about. My friend Daniela owns it." They stopped when they reached a fork in the path. 

"To the left- he pointed to the path that curved through the trees and out of sight "- is her cabin. To the right is the lake." His hand found the small of her back and gently pushed her forward, down the path that led to the lake. 

Elizabeth walked slowly down the dark path, her eyes darting between her feet and the opening emerging at the end of the naturally formed tunnel. When she saw the silver glow radiating from the end, she stopped. Her eyes were transfixed on the body of water. It was like something out of a dream. A light wind blew across the surface, causing the water to ripple gently, the moon light shimmering in the deep blue waters. 

Jason urged Elizabeth to continue on, not speaking until they finally reached the banks of the lake. He led her to the pier, where a jet ski was tied up, bobbing lazily in the water. 

"How did she find this place?" she whispered, her eyes drinking in the scenery around her. Looking back, she could see the tall structure of the two story cabin looming above them. The whole wall facing he lake was made of glass, providing a spectacular view. 

Jason shrugged, and laid down on the dock, his legs crossing at the ankles and his hands behind his head. "I'm not sure. I don't even know why she has it anyway. Dani's hardly ever here." 

She turned to look at him, the her breath catching in her throat at the sight of him bathed in moonlight. He looked so beautiful, lying there, unmoving except for the rise and fall of his chest. She giggled to herself, never had she thought of a man as beautiful before. 

He propped up on an elbow at the sound of her giggles. "What's so funny?" 

Shaking her head, she coughed a couple of times before answering. "Nothing." Her eyes locked with his; in the moonlight they were like twin pools of liquid mercury. "So," she broke their eye contact to clear her throat, "Why do you come here?" 

He shrugged. "To get away from everything. To be alone." 

She chuffed at his answer. "'To get away from everything?' What's 'everything'? Like the coffee warehouse is a bee hive of activity." 

Jason simply stared at her profile, the gentle slope of her cheek bone, the slight bump just below the bridge of her nose, her full lips. What he wouldn't give to be able to drink from those lips. He could only imagine what the felt like, how soft they'd be, how pliant to his tongue. 

She could feel his eyes on her, and the blood rushed quickly into her face. Turning away from him, her attention focused on a stray thread in her jeans. "So why did we come out here?" she asked quietly, not quite sure if she wanted to hear the answer. 

He sat up and dragged his eyes from her face. "Well, after dressing up in a tux, I needed to unwind, and I figured this was the best place to go. Why, do you want to leave?" He stood up, fully prepared to take her where ever she wanted to go, even if was back to the Towers. 

"NO!" She jumped up to look at him. "I mean, no. We don't have to go. I was just wondering." Her staccato chuckle echoed throughout the forest. Turning away, she walked the length of the pier to sit at the end, with her feet dangling above the water. 

His smile was rueful, as was the shake of his head, but he followed her to the end of the pier and sat down next to her. Close, yet far enough apart to keep her comfortable. "So." He watched her out of the corner of his eye, heard her steady breathing. 

"So," she repeated, forcing herself not to look at him. "Is there-" she turned to him, her eyes focusing on the space between his eyes so he couldn't unnerve her. "Is there something you wanted to ask me?" 

"Actually," his grin was slow, like fine molasses. "I would like to get to know you better-" he paused, and leaned toward her so his mouth almost brushed against her cheek. 

"Beth." 


	19. Chapter 19

Puddle of Grace 19 Sonny and Carly sat at their table with their guards, laughing, smiling, and generally just enjoying the night. The only thing weighing on Sonny's mind was the glimpse of the golden brown hair he'd seen earlier. 

He had hoped that his enemy wouldn't show his face here at the Ball, and for a while, he was sure Mendoza was nowhere in sight. Unfortunately, Sonny had seen Mick Mendoza strolling out to the terrace. Everything that was in him told Sonny to leave now, to spend the rest of the evening with Carly alone, in their penthouse, where nobody could touch them. 

Yet they were still there. 

Sonny turned to the bodyguards sitting across from them. "Deanna? Deborah? Could you please take my wife down to the car?" His hands covered Carly's when she started to protest. "Honey, please, just go. I'll be there in a few minutes." Bringing her hand to his lips, he pressed a kiss to her knuckles and flashed her his trademark dimples. "I promise." 

How could she resist those dimples? "Sonny, just please be careful." She stood up from the chair, her hand still in his. "I saw Mendoza, I know you're going to go talk to him." Her eyes followed his as he stood up. Placing her hand on his face, her thumb ran along his bottom lip, her chuckle low and sultry when he nipped at it with his white, even teeth. 

"You have five minutes," she instructed, her eyes dancing with the images of the night ahead. Pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth, she wiped away a slight smudge of lipstick before turning to follow her guards to the car. She allowed herself one peek over her shoulder to see if Sonny was watching, and she wiggled her butt slightly, urging him to take care of business. _Quickly_. 

Sonny's eyes remained focused on Carly's back, more specifically the point just above her tailbone, where the dip of the dress ended, leaving men to wonder what she would look like completely naked. The smile stayed on his face until she turned the corner and was out of sight. 

With his face harder than stone, he turned to Francis and Johnny, beckoning them with a slight tip of his head. All three men stepped out onto the terrace and into the cool night. The gentle breeze might have been a welcome reprieve from the overheated ballroom had it not been for the man standing before them. 

Two hundred and eighty pounds of muscle, and pure perversity. 

Sonny had heard stories of Mick Mendoza's exploits before he's moved to Port Charles, but Sonny kept a close eye on him. Child pornography and prostitution did not sit well with Sonny, and he'd be damned if Port Charles would be infected with Mendoza's sickness. 

"Mr. Corinthos." Mick didn't turn around; he knew he wasn't alone, and he knew who it would be. 

"Mendoza," Sonny spit out through clenched teeth. "Why are you here?" 

Mick turned around, his fine brown hair ruffling in the breeze. His chuckle was low and throaty, more of a vibration than anything else. "It _is_ a free country, Corinthos." He stood erect, his full six feet slightly intimidating to most. 

It didn't do a thing to Sonny Corinthos. 

Sonny sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What do you want?" His eyes bored into his opponent, his hands planted squarely on his hips, like an impatient mother trying to shush her children. 

Mendoza laughed heartily at his question, his hazel eyes dancing. "Why must you always assume I _want_ something Corinthos?" He approached the three men, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I can't just enjoy myself? Give a little something to charity perhaps?" 

"No." Sonny's voice was flat, just like his eyes. Never had someone annoyed him so much. Not even Sorel had been this cocky. 

Mendoza's gaze dropped to the cement, and he nodded. "I suppose you're right." Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he looked back to Sonny, his head tipped to the left slightly. "Actually, I was hoping we might come to an agreement? Something mutually beneficial." 

Sonny cleared his throat, forcing himself to take a breath instead of wrapping his fingers around Mick's neck and squeezing. "One would think you'd have learned by now." He crossed the distance between them, his face mere inches from Mendoza's. "I. Don't. Deal." He turned away, walking around Mick to lean against the railing. "I would never forge an agreement with a disgusting _serpiente_ like you. I never have, and I never will." He spit the words out, the sour bile rising slowly but surely to burn his throat. 

"Yet you let me stay in Port Charles. Now why is that, Corinthos?" 

Sonny sighed, and his mind briefly flashed to Carly lying naked in their bed. "Honestly Mendoza? I haven't the foggiest." He spun around, his pupils completely dilated. "How about we remedy that right now? Johnny?" He looked around Mendoza to his guard, "Would you care to do the honors?" 

Mendoza paled, his attention turned to the men behind him. Johnny's hand had already closed around the butt of the gun, and was pulling it out when he saw Sonny shake his head. 

"Mick, get a clue. You're alive because I _let_ you live. There is nothing - _nothing_ - that would force me to deal with you." He brushed his way past the mobster, leaving him to stand open mouthed on the terrace. 

Once the men were gone, Mick let out a small laugh and shrugged his shoulders. "Only one thing left to find," he mumbled to himself before returning to the ball. 


	20. Chapter 20

Puddle of Grace 20 Elizabeth's whole body tightened instantly. She was like a deer that had caught the whiff of a hunter; still and completely and utterly silent. 

"Elizabeth?" His hand rose to push a stray hair out of her face. When she didn't flinch away, he let his fingertips brush against the curve or her ear. Even touching her ear was better than not touching her at all. 

"You know." It was a statement, not a question. 

"You didn't want me to know?" 

Her gaze stayed on the mirror like lake. "I didn't think you'd find out so soon." 

"Elizabeth, I don't- I don't get it. Didn't you think I'd find out?" His eyebrows creased with confusion. "You could've told me." 

She shook her head, "No, I couldn't. You were - _are_ - my boss. I had hoped it could last just a little while longer." She let out a wry chuckle and shrugged her shoulders. "Guess not." 

He turned to her, leaning his back against the pole with his right leg extended behind her. "Hoped _what_ could last a little longer?" 

She shrugged again, this time her back relaxed to let her shoulders sag in defeat. "I don't know what you would call it. I was having fun playing pool, drinking beer, riding on the back of your bike." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Weren't you?" 

"If I hadn't been having fun, I wouldn't have asked you to come out here." He gave her a smile to reassure her he wasn't lying. "But I still don't get it, what's the problem?" 

Her sigh was heavy with regret. "Now that you know who I am -- an employee of Corinthos-Morgan Coffee Warehouses -- I can't see you anymore. Not that I was _seeing_ you to begin with." She dragged her feet up onto the pier, her heels planting themselves on the edge so her arms could wrap themselves around her bent legs. Resting her chin on her knees, her eyes closed against the gentle breeze that pushed it's way through her hair. 

He could see the sadness invade her face and, more than anything, wanted to make it go away. "Elizabeth?" 

"Hmm?" 

"Why are you here?" 

"Because you asked me to come," she answered, her eyes opened and fixed on the bank of trees on the other side of the lake. 

He chuckled. "No, I mean here, in Port Charles. Why are you so sad?" His hand automatically started to rise to her face, his fingers craving contact with her skin, but he dropped it back into his lap instead, waiting for her to answer. 

Finally, she turned her head to look at him, resting it against her knees. "Why?" 

"Because even thought you're an 'employee of Corinthos-Morgan Coffee Warehouses,' I'd still like you to consider me a friend." His voice was soft and comforting and flowed through her veins, coaxing her to tell him every last one of her secrets. 

She studied him for a moment. The way his head cocked to one side, the right half of his face was cast in a shadow and yet, she could still see his eye sparkle. "Do you and Sonny treat all of your employees this way?" 

Jason's eyebrows knitted. "Not all of them, no." 

"Then why me?" 

Jason shrugged and turned to look out onto the water. His restless hands found a fallen maple leaf and proceeded to tear it to pieces. "Honestly? I don't know. _Sonny_ invited you to his penthouse for dinner, you should ask him." 

Her eyes wandered over his profile; the stubborn jut of his chin, the strong line of his jaw, the funny way his nose seemed to come to a point, his broad forehead. "I will. But why you?" 

"Can't two people just be friends without asking why?" 

"I'm sorry," she murmured. 

His head whipped back around to her, his eyebrow cocked, "Why?" Her sigh was inpatient, rough. From what, Jason couldn't even guess. "If you don't want to talk to me about it, fine. But talk to somebody about it, or it'll eat you alive." 

"How would you know?" she spat out, each word dripping with acid. 

"Fine, I guess I wouldn't know." 

Before she could react, he was standing up next to her and about to head toward the motorcycle when her hand shot out to grab at his. He froze, not because her hand wouldn't let go, but from the heat of her touch. 

"I'm sorry." The words came out hoarse, rough, and she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry," she repeated while he sat back down. "I've never actually had someone who cared enough to find out how I _feel. _Hell, I've never had someone really notice me before." 

He was sitting closer to her than before, her hand still in his. His fingers massaging her palm, making it pliable, relaxed. "Tell me Elizabeth. It's ok. I won't hurt you." 

She closed her eyes. _I won't hurt you_. Could she trust it? Could she trust him? 


	21. Chapter 21

Puddle of Grace 21 Sonny slammed the door and let out an impatient sigh. He rolled his shoulders to shrug the tuxedo jacket off, his back tense from Mendoza and his blatant stupidity. The only thing that got him through their little meeting was the vision of Carly in various stages of undress, in multiple rooms of the penthouse. Even the kitchen. 

Walking over to the wet bar, he poured scotch into a glass, downing it in one swallow. His fingers then went to his bow tie, working the annoying material to rip it from around his neck. Unbuttoning a couple of buttons, he finally felt human again. 

He turned then, to look at the stairs, anticipating the night ahead, when the phone rang. He seriously considered letting it ring, but he knew no one would call this late at night if it wasn't business. 

"Yeah." His voice reflected his mood: irritated, tired, and ready for sex. 

"Bring it. No Benny, now." He slammed the phone back on the cradle and bellowed for Johnny. "Benny's coming, just let him in," he instructed the guard, and poured himself another scotch. 

Three more glasses of scotch and fifteen minutes later, Benny came bustling into the penthouse, nervous as a cat in a room full of rockers. "Mr. Corinthos. We found him." He handed over a thin file, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. 

"He's dead?" 

Benny nodded. 

"Alright." He slapped Benny on the back and walked him to the door. "Keep looking for the girl. Leave nothing unchecked. Put more men on it if you have to. I want her found." He nodded a silent good bye and closed the door behind him. He waited a few minutes before going over to Alexis' penthouse, hoping that she was still awake. 

She answered after a moment, a black silk robe tied securely around her waist. She tensed immediately when she saw Sonny standing in front of her. Moving to the side, she made a sweeping gesture with her arm, inviting him in. 

"What's wrong?" 

She stood facing the closed door for a minute, trying to gather her wits. "Nothing." She turned, a fake smile plastered on her face. Brushing past him, she returned to the couch and flopped down on it with a bowl of popcorn. 

"Alexis," he growled, following her. He knew something was up, her face bore the proof: her eyes rimmed red and puffy, her cheeks marred by the stains of her tears. "Don't lie to me." 

She huffed and a blush crept into her cheeks. "Casablanca. It gets me every time." Her smile was crooked with the embarrassment of her admission. 

It took Sonny a moment to register, and a small chuckle was her reward. Sitting down on the coffee table in front of her, he opened the file and read it again. "Alexis, we found him." 

Her smile froze, twisted into a half smile half frown, which quickly changed to a whole frown when she recognized Sonny's grim expression. "He's not- he's-" 

"Dead." 

"My daughter?" 

Sonny shook his head, "We don't know yet. We haven't found her." 

She held out her hand to him, ignoring its trembles. "May I read it?" 

"There's something you should know." 

She closed her eyes and swallowed hard, silently screaming at herself to calm down. "What?" 

"His name isn't Jamie Masters." He watched her eyes change from sadness to confusion. "When he died, his name was Marcus Malloy, but we don't think that was his name either. We're still trying to figure it out."   


He handed over the file, only to pull it back at the last second. "One other thing. There's a coroner's picture in here of him, so you can know for sure if it's him. Tell me now if you don't want to see it." 

Pressing her lips together, she extended her hand once more, thanking God that it didn't quake. "Let me see." 

She took her time reading the single paper, her face masking any emotion she might be feeling. When she flipped the paper to study the photograph, she finally broke. A tear streaked down her cheek as she remembered the past, the feelings they shared, how abandoned she felt after she had given birth. 

Abandoned. The one emotion that followed her everywhere she went. By her mother. By her father. Most definitely by her brothers. Even by her lovers. Was she destined to survive this life completely alone? 

She hadn't even realized she was crying until the tears splattered against the gruesome photo of her Jamie, a bullet hole between his eyes. She could still see his soft brown eyes, the color of melted milk chocolate. Could still feel his hands on her, stroking her gently, so gently, pleasing her before himself. And the way they cuddled afterwards, talking about everything and nothing. Back then, she had thought it would last forever. Forever turned out to be not long enough. 

"This is him," she whispered, closing the file to hand it to Sonny. Leaning back against the couch, she let out a heavy sigh and allowed her slim fingers to wipe away the last of her tears. Her eyes focused on her wet hands; slightly mesmerized by the way the liquid glittered in the light. 

Sonny's heart broke for the attorney "We'll find her Alexis, I promise." 


	22. Chapter 22

Puddle of Grace 22 Elizabeth sighed, reveling in the feeling of his hands massaging hers. His thumb pressing gently on her palm and sliding up towards each finger. If only they could stay like this forever. "I don't know who I am." 

Her voice was barely louder than a whisper, and Jason wasn't quite sure he heard right. "What?" 

She turned to him, her blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I don't know who I am." 

His brow furrowed, and his fingers stopped their movements. "What are you talking about?" 

She cleared her throat in an attempt to rid herself of the huge lump that had formed there. "I'm twenty one years old, and I never knew I was adopted. At least not until the day before I moved here." She closed her eyes and the vision, not caring about the tears spilling down her cheeks. "I was just packing up the last of my things, checking throughout the house to make sure I had everything. . ." 

_Elizabeth entered the study, her eyes doing a quick sweep for anything that might've belong to her. Satisfied when she found nothing, her eyes caught on a collection of scrapbooks behind her father's desk. She decided to take a break and look through the old books, just out of curiosity.___

_The first one was all about Steven. It had everything in it; their mother's first sonogram picture, his hospital ID bracelet, a record of all his firsts, even his first lock of hair. She smiled at everything, wishing she could've been closer to her older bother.___

_The next book she removed belonged to Sarah. Hers was almost identical to Steven's in it's contents. Only hers didn't have quite so many pictures.___

_The last book belonged to Elizabeth. She was eager to see it's contents for the first time, never knowing until now that they existed. Her hands shook as they opened the cover, the smile on her face fading when she discovered that her book was drastically different from the first two. There were no sonogram pictures, no hospital bracelet, no "Baby's First" record, nothing. Just a smattering of pictures of her with distant relatives. None of her with Steven or Sarah, none with her parents. After the third page they were cut off altogether.___

_With each turn of another empty page, her heart grew heavier and heavier, her eyes blurring with tears that wouldn't fall. She knew that her parents never loved her best, but to be so cruel as to not keep her pictures? That was horrifying. Elizabeth was so distraught that she almost passed over the book's most important contents: a letter.___

_She blinked several times, making sure she wasn't seeing things, before she reached out to the paper. The warm kiss of her tears barely registered as she read the typed words:_

Doctor Webber: 

You don't know who I am, but I know you. 

This is my daughter. 

I can't possibly take care of her, and neither can her mother. 

I know you'll do the right thing. 

_Elizabeth sat there for the longest time, the paper clenched between her fingers. It wasn't until Jeff Webber came though the door that she finally snapped out of her paralysis.___

_"Elizabeth, what are–" He froze when he saw her tear stained cheeks and red rimmed eyes. "Oh my god." His eyes locked on hers for a mere second before they were stung with her pain. He shouted for his wife before entering the room to set his brief case on the polished walnut desk. "Elizabeth, let us explain."___

_"What is it d–" Her sentence was cut off by the sight of Elizabeth sitting behind the desk. Instead of feeling remorseful, or even the slightest bit sorry for the young woman, she was angry. "How did you find that? Who told you about that book?"___

_Jeff approached his wife with his hands up in surrender to try and calm her down. "Lily, please. Sit down and we'll discuss this like adults." He turned to Elizabeth, his face finally showing compassion for the first time she could remember in twenty one years. He sat down in the leather wing chair with a huff, looking quite older than his forty seven years. "I don't know quite where to start."___

_Elizabeth chuffed at her supposed father's attempt to gain sympathy. "The beginning sounds good to me."___

_Jeff closed his eyes and sighed, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "When your mother gave birth to Sarah, she– there were some complications. Somehow she got an infection in her uterus, and if the doctor hadn't removed it, she would've died. The choice was obvious, even if we did want to have more kids, Lily's health was more important." He looked over to his wife, her lips pressed in a thin line, fighting back the flood of emotions that came crashing down on her.___

_"She was extremely depressed for awhile, but slowly, she came out of it." He leaned forward, staving off the memories of those months. With his elbows resting on his knees, he continued. "We discussed adoption, and even made an appointment to meet with the agency. About two weeks before we were to meet, you showed up."___

_He looked at her then, cursing himself for not telling her sooner, like he wanted to. But Elizabeth remained stoic. Sitting rigidly in the leather chair, her eyes flooded with tears that refused to fall, her fingers tapping a staccato on the desk, she wouldn't give him the opportunity to see her pain.___

_"In the middle of the night, the doorbell rang. I wasn't sure who would be calling at that particular hour, but when I opened the door, there you were. Sleeping so peacefully in a white wicker basket, swaddled in a fuzzy peach blanket." Tears pricked his own eyes as the first few years of her life flowed through his head. "You were the answer to our prayers. Everything was perfect, but then, I don't know." He sighed again, leaning back into his chair, and looked at his wife, silently asking her to continue.___

_Lily's sigh was of exasperation and annoyance that her husband felt so deeply for a child that wasn't their own. "What he is trying so hard not to say is that I stopped loving you." She shrugged, a flicker of regret flashing across her face, "I don't know if I ever really did love you. Yeah, for awhile, it was nice. I felt needed again, but then, I don't know. Just one day I didn't want you here anymore. Unfortunately–" she shot her husband a dirty look, "–Your father grew a conscience and couldn't just dump a two year old in the middle of a mall."___

_Elizabeth stared at the woman she'd called "mom" her whole life as if seeing her for the very first time. She sat in the matching wing backed chair like she were asking a banker for a loan, not explaining her supposed daughter's history. It was all Elizabeth could do not to hurdle herself over the desk and strangle the woman, but she suppressed the urge and turned back to Jeff.___

_"She _did_ love you, even if was only for a little while. But I couldn't just leave you somewhere Elizabeth. And, well, _I _loved you. As much as I could." She flinched at his words, but he didn't see it. "I realize that maybe it wasn't enough, or it wasn't the right way, but I did love you."___

_She sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. With a nod, she stood up. "What more could I possibly ask for?" It was Jeff's turn to flinch, and he tried to catch her wrist as she walked past him, but she rebuffed the gesture. . ._

Her laugh was bitter, staccato, and it echoed around them. "I had never felt so unwanted in my whole life. If the floor could've opened up and swallowed me whole, I would've welcomed it." 

When Jason cleared his throat, it startled her because he has somehow shifted closer to her while she was remembering her so-called parents. "I know it was unfair of them to keep the truth from you, but what does that have to do with who you are?" His eyes remained on the lake, but he continued to steal sideways glances of her. 

"It has everything to do with who I am. I don't know who my real parents are, I don't know if I have any brothers or sisters, and as great as Audrey has been to me, I might have a whole set of grandparents whom I've never met! Stories I've never heard, family functions I've never been to, vacations I've never taken." She paused, and her voice grew quieter, "I just want to know why they couldn't love me or take care of me." 

Jason's sigh was heavy, and he looked away from her then, unable to watch her silent tears. "You may have missed all those things, but they don't make you who you are. Who you are inside is determined by your friends, the things you like, and the family you're given." When she didn't reply, he tried putting it another way. "Look at it this way, if you hadn't been left at the Webber's, would you have moved to Port Charles?" 

"Probably not." 

He moved to take her hand again, his thumb sweeping gently over her knuckles, "And if you hadn't moved to Port Charles, would you have met Sonny?" He waited until she shook her head to continue. "And if you hadn't met Sonny, would you be sitting here, with me, right now?" He watched her, waiting for some sort of recognition, and received none. 

They continued to sit like that, shoulder to shoulder, with his hand tracing abstract patterns on her palm until Elizabeth let out a long groan. She pulled her hand away from Jason's to rub the tear stains from her face. "I don't know why I told you all of that," she said, chuckling slightly, and peeking at him from the corner of her eye. When he didn't say anything, just sat there and watched her, a shiver skittered up her spine. "What are you thinking?" 

His sparkling blue eyes, which looked silver in the moonlight, fixed on hers, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. "I'm thinking that if I look at you for one more second, I'm going to have to kiss you." 


	23. Chapter 23

Puddle of Grace 24 For the third time in a week, Elizabeth heard the deafening echo of the motorcycle's engine as it bounced off the parking garage's wall through her helmet. Unlike the first two times, the adrenaline wasn't pumping through her veins because of the ride. IT flowed freely because of Jason's last words. 

_If I look at you for one more second, I'm going to have to kiss you._

Elizabeth felt like Alice stepping through the looking glass. Everything seemed brighter, more delicate, and so easily breakable. The moonlight was so bright that she had to squint her eyes against it. 

During their walk back to the bike, she felt jerky and disjointed; she could feel her limbs moving, but not as fluidly as normal. They didn't utter a word as Jason climbed on the bike, watching her mess with the helmet until she, too, climbed on, her hands fastening to his hips. 

The ride back to the Towers was silent, yet deafening. There were no whoops of joy, no cries of freedom. Elizabeth didn't even notice the scenery, or at the very least, the blur of the scenery. Her eyes remained completely focused on the bare skin just above Jason's shirt collar, her mind telling her that what he said was a fluke, that she'd misheard him. 

It wasn't until they'd pulled into the parking garage that she finally admitted to herself what he'd actually said. 

_If I look at you for one more second, I'm going to have to kiss you._

She felt completely aware of everything around her; the thumps of their boots hitting the concrete, a car door being closed further down the parking lane, even the quiet creaks of his leather jacket. Her nose worked over time as well; the bittersweet smell of gasoline and oil, burning rubber, and him; his scent so thick it nearly gagged her. 

The soft ping of the elevator signaled just before the doors slipped open, and Jason allowed her to exit first. A flock of butterflies lifted off in her stomach and seemingly up her throat. She could actually hear her blood coursing through her veins with each step closer they got to her door. Even through his thick leather jacket, she could feel his heat, his masculinity seeping into her pores to the very marrow of her bones. 

He watched her from behind, wondering if she knew what the gentle sway of her hips was doing to him, how he wanted to grab her there and now, press her body against the wall and kiss the very life out of her. But he waited. He waited for her, because he knew she needed it, needed to be in control. 

When they reached her door, he waited while she fumbled with her keys, a small smile toying with the corner of his mouth at her obvious discomfort. Finally, she fitted the key into the lock, nearly breaking it off in the slot before the door opened for her. 

She didn't even turn around to look at him, just waited until the door closed before she turned. A look of surprise froze on her face when she realized how close he was—too close. With her head tilted back to look up at him, she took a small step back. Shrugging off his coat, she immediately went to throw it on an over-stuffed chair when she remembered it wasn't her own. "Here." She thrust it into his hands, as if holding it another second would be the difference between life and death. A string of curses was released in her head, and she was positive he could hear the heavy thumping of her heart in her chest. 

"I had a nice time tonight." His voice was quiet, comforting, and it made her knees melt. "Thank you for coming with me to the cabin." 

"I- I-" Her face flushed at the unexpected gesture of gratitude. "You're welcome." Walking over to the door, she opened it, a signal for him to leave. "It's late, and I need to get some sleep." 

He nodded, and his eyes fell to the jacket in his hand. He didn't look at her as he took the three steps to the door, his boots whispering on the thick carpet. He paused, thought for a moment, then carefully—quietly—closed the door. His eyes met hers. And he knew. 

She watched him hang the jacket on the doorknob to empty his hands. She continued to watch when he took a step closer to her, her mind telling her this was all a dream. That he wasn't really there, that she was in her bed, asleep, and probably drooling. But it looked real. And it felt real. And, when his hand cupped her cheek, it _was_ real. 

Her lips parted at the contact, and he took the opportunity to run his thumb over them once, then twice. Her breath was hot on his skin, and all he wanted was to taste it. 

His other hand came up to frame her face, and she had to close her eyes and swallow hard to keep from losing herself in his eyes. She felt his right hand work it's way backwards and tug gently at the rubber band that bound her chestnut curls. Finally, he freed them, let her silky tresses cascade over his hand, and he couldn't help but comb his fingers through them. 

Once again, his hand was on her face, tilting it back slightly, and to his left, before he leaned down to look into her eyes. His gaze faltered for a second when her tongue darted out to lick her lips, but returned to her eyes, silently asking permission. 

And then the world stopped. 

She felt his breath on her mouth a second before his lips were there. She rocked back, suddenly as unsteady as a child who's merry-go-round was stopped, and her hands automatically wrapped around his wrists to stead herself. He didn't push, didn't ask for anything more than this chaste kiss, but she offered. 

Once she regained her balance, she let her hands come up to cup his neck, pulling him towards her as she rose up on her toes. Moving up his neck to his hair, they balled into fists, pulling gently on his blonde spikes. She felt his tongue trace her lips and allowed him entrance. 

His tongue dipped into her recesses, ran along the edge of her teeth before it lazily fought her own tongue for dominance. She tasted of champagne and the salt her dried tears left behind. 

His ears picked up soft moans coming from deep in her throat and they only served to fuel his fire. His left hand left her face and traveled down her side to the small of her back to pull him to her. It was like she had been made for him, her curves fitting into the angles of his body so perfectly. 

He could've stayed like this forever, kissing her, pressing her body against his, but she pulled away. And in that fraction of a second, the world started spinning again. 

His smile was lazy as she pressed her fingers to her lips now that they were no longer being branded by his searing mouth. With just one look at her, anyone could tell she was a woman that had been thoroughly kissed; her messy hair, the clouded look in her eyes, the swollen lips. He watched her chest rise and fall, and she pressed her other hand to it in an attempt to catch her breath. 

Her eyes closed, and for a moment, he thought she was going to collapse. When she opened them again, her smile was dreamy and content, and it gave Jason a glimpse of what she would look like after they made love. 

"I really need to get to bed." Her voice was thick and low, and only succeeded in making Jason want her more. 

Instead of pulling her to him and kissing her again, he offered a nod and reached for his jacket. When he leaned down, she was afraid he would kiss her again, but he only kissed her temple, and murmured a soft good night in her ear. 

She closed her eyes until the door clicked softly, and that's when she put a hand out to steady herself. Her legs felt like they were filled to the knees with water, and Elizabeth was pretty sure she wasn't going to make it to her bedroom on her own. She closed her eyes and gave herself a few deep breaths before attempting to walk down the hall to her bedroom. 

On the other side of the door, Jason stopped and let himself slide back into the normal world again before starting towards the elevators for another night of restless sleep. 


End file.
